Three Covid-19 deaths and 613 infections were announced by the health ministry on Tuesday evening.

Two men – one aged 58 and the other 72 – both passed away at Nicosia general hospital, the 72-year-old on Monday.

A 75-year-old woman also passed away at Nicosia general hospital, raising the total number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 to 597.

There were 118 Covid-19 patients in hospitals as of Tuesday evening, 51 of whom are in serious or critical condition. Of those receiving treatment, 65.82 per cent are unvaccinated, the ministry said.

Tuesday’s cases were identified following 85,244 tests, resulting in a positivity rate of 0.72 per cent.

PCR tests picked up the following: 97 from 788 contact tracing tests, ten from 5,015 airport tests, 87 from 2,062 private tests and six from 285 hospital tests.

Rapid tests taken privately – typically amongst the unvaccinated who are not eligible for free tests – totalled 44,835 and picked up 259 positives.

The government’s screening programme for eligible groups carried out 31,882 tests and identified 153 positives.

Notably, no positives were identified at care homes while 30 people tested positive in the ministry’s screening programme at primary schools, along with 18 positives at secondary schools.

The north, meanwhile, announced 278 new Covid-19 infections following 21,350 tests, with their total positives now having reached 28,871 along with 101 deaths attributed to Covid-19.