Coronavirus: Three deaths, 789 new infections announced on Saturday (updated)

The health ministry announced three deaths from Covid-19 on Saturday and 789 new infections after 74,198 tests, a positivity rate of 1.06 per cent.

Hospitals were treating 259 Covid patients, 69 in serious or critical condition,

Deaths from the virus have reached 401 – 265 men, 136 women — since the start of the pandemic in March last year while recorded cases are close to 100,000.

The deaths concern two women, 84 and 94, and a 67-year-old man.

Of the 69 patients in serious condition, 28 are intubated, three were being treated in an ICU without being on a ventilator, and 38 were in high dependency units.

Of the 789 new infections, eight were detected among 2,409 samples collected from travellers at the two airports.

A further 158 were among 3,156 tests carried out privately and 21 were reported by state hospital labs after testing 247 samples.

Twenty-six cases were among 500 samples tested by private labs and pharmacies using rapid antigen.

The state’s mass screening programme reported 576 infections after 67,886 tests.

No figures were given by the ministry concerning close contact testing.

Nicosia had 194 cases in 24,025 tests, a positivity rate of 0.81 per cent while Limassol reported 155 new cases after 15,244 tests, a rate of 1.02 per cent. Larnaca saw 109 new infections in 11,444 tests, 0.95 per cent, Paphos had 68 in 8,808, 0.77 per cent, and Famagusta 49, in 7,821 tests, a positivity rate of 0.63 per cent.

Turkish Cypriot reported one death from Covid on Saturday, bringing the total number to 39.