Eight deaths, more than 3,000 new Covid infections in past week

Eight people died from coronavirus in the week January 6 to 12, while 85 people remain hospitalised with the virus, the health ministry said on Friday.

The deaths concerned four women and four men aged from 60 to 93, raising the total number of fatalities since the pandemic outbreak to 1,270.

During the same week, from January 6 to January 12, 3,353 new coronavirus cases were detected from 65,398 tests, a positivity rate of 5.13 per cent. Most cases, 3,122, were traced from 63,286 rapid tests, while the remaining 231 positives were found after 2,112 PCRs.

Of the new cases, 70, were traced in nursing homes and 24/7 structures, following 4,807 and 1,726 rapid tests carried out.

As regards hospitalisations, the health ministry’s report showed 14 of the 85 people treated in state hospitals with the virus are in serious condition – with seven listed as intubated.

Two more patients who stopped being infectious continue to be intubated due to Covid-19, the report added.