Coronavirus: Cases still high but indicators drop (updated)

While the number of new coronavirus cases remains high, there has been a significant improvement in epidemiological indices in the past fortnight, according to the latest national report released by the health ministry on Friday.

In the last 14 days (since March 29), 40,795 cases were diagnosed – down from 59,800 cases in the previous period of March 15 to 28. The 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate is 4,594 per 100,000 population – significantly down on the 6,734 per 100,000 population reported in the previous report.

Overall, as of April 11, a total of 457,257 Covid-19 cases have been diagnosed, of which 986 died due to Covid-19 (case fatality risk: 0.2 per cent). The previous death toll was 933.

The median age of reported coronavirus patients was 37. Sex information was available for 29,785 (73 per cent) cases, of which 54.5 per cent were females (16,223), and 45.5 per cent males (13,562).

By place of exposure, information was available for 40,521 (99.3 per cent) cases, of which 2.4 per cent (993) were imported and 97.6 per cent (39,528) were locally caught.

As of April 13, a total of 184 people with Covid -19 (who have not tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 after their diagnosis or who are still considered infectious) were hospitalised.

The median age of hospitalised patients with Covid-19 (184, including those discharged/who died on that day) is 82. Of these, 56.8 per cent (84 out of 148 with available information) are males and 40.4 per cent (44 out of 109 with information on district) are from Limassol district. Twenty cases (15.6 per cent) still hospitalised have comorbidities (out of 128 with available information).

As of April 13, of 12 Covid-19 cases in the ICU, nine (75 per cent) are intubated. The median age of these ICU patients is 69 years; sex information is not available at the moment for one patient and eight are males (72.7 per cent). Four (36.4 per cent) ICU patients have reported comorbidities (out of 11 with available information).

Over the last 14 days, 41,857 PCR and 970,320 rapid antigen tests have been performed giving a rate of 4,713.6 PCR and 109,270.3 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population.

Since the start of the pandemic two years ago and up to April 13, Cyprus has reported 1,144 deaths of people with Covid of which 986 were attributed to the virus. Nearly six out of ten of these were men.

One in two of the 986 Covid deaths were aged between 70 and 86.

For the reporting period of April 1 to 13, a total of 39 people died with Covid. For 31, the death was attributed to Covid.

Four out of ten of the 31 were aged 60 or higher and did not have a vaccination history.

Overall, 2022 has seen more Covid deaths, with January 2022 the deadliest with 111, more than the 107 in August 2021. February this year was the third deadliest with 100, followed by January 2021 with 97, December 2020 with 90 and March 2022 with 76.

Limassol district accounted for 345 or 35 per cent of the deaths from Covid, followed by Nicosia with 309 (31.1 per cent), Larnaca with 178 (18.1 per cent) and Paphos with 88 (8.8 per cent). The Famagusta district reported 58 Covid deaths or 5.9 per cent of the total, while for three there was no permanent residence and five involved foreign residents.