Coronavirus: two deaths, 402 more people test positive on Thursday (Updated)

The health ministry on Thursday announced two more deaths attributed to Covid-19, while nationwide testing detected 402 new positives.

The two latest decedents were a man aged 91, who passed away on Wednesday at Limassol general hospital; and a man aged 72 who passed away on Thursday at Nicosia general’s ICU.

Authorities no longer disclose whether the deceased had comorbidities or were vaccinated.

The death toll now stands at 454, with an average age 77 years.

The situation in hospitals remained stable, with 276 patients receiving treatment for Covid-19. Of these, 95 were said to be in a serious condition or being treated in high-dependency units.

Of the 95 in a serious condition, 51 were intubated, four in ICU but without a ventilator, and 40 in a high-dependency unit.

Famagusta general, the referral hospital for Covid-19, held 64 patients in total. The hospital with the highest number of patients (76) was Limassol general.

The ministry noted that 11 “post-Covid patients” who are no longer infectious continue to be intubated at Limassol general’s ICU. It said that as of Thursday it would make reference to such post-Covid patients who, it clarified, are not included in the total number of patients cited.

Relating to the latest hospitalisation data, the ministry also said that 84.43 per cent of overall patients did not have a record of vaccination for the coronavirus.

The 402 positives emerged from 53,484 tests, of which 6,806 done with PCR and the rest with rapid antigen. Thursday’s results worked out to a positivity rate of 0.75 per cent.

A breakdown of the positives: 48 from 301 samples via contact tracing; 11 from 3,364 samples taken at the airports; 58 from 2,863 samples via private initiative; eight from 257 samples processed at the microbiology labs of general hospitals; 183 from 32,493 samples processed by private clinical labs and pharmacies; and 94 from 14,184 samples taken as part of the health ministry’s testing programme.

Tests carried out at nursing homes in Nicosia and Limassol districts turned up no positives.