The health ministry on Wednesday said there had been no new deaths from Covid-19 but that a record 952 people tested positive from 44,045 tests, a positivity rate of 2.16 per cent.

There are currently 93 people in hospitals of whom 27 are in serious condition. Ten of these cases are intubated.

The new cases were among 44,045 PCR and rapid tests with a positivity rate of 2.16 per cent. The last record was 941 cases recorded on April 20.

Wednesday’s cases concern 109 from contact tracing, 144 people who got PCR tests privately, 12 cases were among samples processed in state hospitals’ labs, and 17 are people who got rapid tests privately.

Six cases were among passengers at the Larnaca and Paphos airports.

Most cases, 664, were detected during the rapid testing carried out in all districts on behalf of the health ministry.

Limassol recorded most cases, 221, with a positivity rate of 2.59 per cent, while in Nicosia 194 cases were detected (1.37 per cent). In Larnaca 105 cases (1.87 per cent), were recorded, 79 in the Famagusta district (2.10 per cent) and 65 in Paphos (1.60 per cent).

Valentinos Sylvestros, head of the health ministry’s tracing team, told state broadcaster CyBC TV in the evening that most cases they record lately concern unvaccinated people.

He said 84 per cent of the cases recorded during the past week were under 40, and of these, 37 per cent are under 18.

Sylvestros said they now see many people linked to various transmission chains. He said except from nightclubs and other entertainment venues, cases are also detected in summer schools, weddings, and other places where crowds gather.

The total number of cases so far is 80,588.