Coronavirus: no deaths, new record of 1,152 positives on Thursday (Updated)

The health ministry on Thursday announced no deaths, and 1,152 new positives to the coronavirus – a new record after Wednesday’s 1,120, although the positivity rate from testing was slightly down.

The death toll in the Republic stands at 383.

Thursday’s results bring the total in Cyprus to have ever tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic to 88,457.

The number of hospitalised rose to 181 (from 165 reported a day earlier), of whom 48 were in a serious condition. Of the 48 patients in serious conditions, 18 were intubated, one in ICU but not intubated, and 29 in high-dependency units.

The Famagusta referral hospital for Covid-19 held 50 patients; Nicosia general hospital 49; Limassol general 56; Larnaca 23; and Makarios hospital three.

In total, 67,205 tests – of which 9,903 with PCR – were carried out islandwide, with the 1,152 positives representing a positivity rate of 1.71 per cent.

Wednesday’s positivity rate was 1.79 per cent.

A breakdown of Thursday’s positives: 678 from 55,375 samples through the government’s free rapid test programme; 81 from 675 samples from contact tracing; five from 3,201 samples taken at the two airports; 291 from 5,521 samples taken via private initiative; 36 from 350 samples processed at the microbiology labs of the general hospitals; one from 156 samples as a result of doctors’ referrals; and 60 from 1,927 samples processed at private clinical labs and pharmacies.

By district, and for rapid tests only, Limassol had the highest positivity rate at 1.83 per cent; then Larnaca at 1.56 per cent; Famagusta at 1.25 per cent; Paphos at 0.96 per cent; and Nicosia at 0.87 per cent.

Three positives were tracked at nursing homes in Limassol district.