Coronavirus: No deaths, 252 people test positive on Thursday (Updated)

Health authorities reported no new fatalities and 252 positives from tests for the coronavirus, while the number of patients in hospital continued to tick up.

The death toll remains 575, with the average age of the deceased at 76.1 years.

Hospitals were treating 73 patients for Covid-19. Of these, 27 were said to be in a serious condition – six intubated, three in ICU but not on a ventilator, and 18 in high-dependency units.

Famagusta general, the referral hospital for Covid, held 21 patients overall.

In addition, one post-Covid patient continued to be intubated in ICU.

The health ministry said 67.13 per cent of patients did not have a vaccination record.

The 252 latest positives came from 55,507 tests – of which 4,062 done with PCR – registering a positivity rate of 0.45 per cent.

A breakdown of the positives: 49 from 500 samples via contact tracing; eight from 1,825 samples taken at the airports; 36 from 1,417 samples taken via private initiative; four from 201 samples processed at the microbiology laboratories of general hospitals; 103 from 30,131 samples (antigen rapid test) processed by private clinical labs and pharmacies; and 52 from 21,314 samples (antigen rapid test) as part of the government’s free screening programme.

No positives were tracked from tests at care homes in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca districts.