The health ministry announced the death of three people from Covid on Wednesday, as 576 new infections were detected after 82,025 tests, a positivity rate of 0.70 per cent.

At the same time, 128 people are being treated in hospital, 43 in serious or critical condition, the ministry said.

The deaths concern two men, 51 and 71, and a woman, 89.The 51-year-old died at home.

The number of fatalities since the outbreak of the pandemic has reached 605 while infections totalled 138,733 on Wednesday.

Of the 43 patients in serious or critical condition, 16 were intubated, four were in an ICU but off the ventilator, and 23 in high dependency units.

The ministry said 76.57 per cent of Covid patients were not vaccinated.

The new infections concern 120 people who were close contacts of previously confirmed cases. They were among 1,393 samples tested.

Seventeen cases were among 3,103 arriving passengers tested at the two airports. A further 92 cases were detected among 2,599 samples tested privately and nine were reported by state hospital labs in 311 samples.

The ministry said 237 cases were reported by private labs and pharmacies after testing 40,807 samples, and 119 cases were detected in 33,656 samples tested by units that are part of the state screening programme.

Turkish Cypriot reported three deaths on Wednesday and 272 new infections. The number of deaths in the north reached 116 with cases totalling 15,294.