Coronavirus: Cyprus 2nd highest for Covid-19 tests per 100,000 population among 29 ECDC countries

Cyprus ranked second highest for coronavirus testing per 100,000 population amongst the 29 members of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), with Denmark ranking first.

Cyprus’ 7181 tests per 100,000 over 14 days came in only second to Denmark’s 9277 tests per 100,000 and far outstripped Romania’s 452.

Third place was Luxembourg with 6373. For context, France carried out 2630 tests per 100,000 and Germany 1274.

The health ministry announced on December 28 that people testing positive via rapid tests – which comprise about two-thirds of daily coronavirus tests – will be considered confirmed cases.

The ministry said the decision was based on the high confirmation rate by PCR test of the positive rapid tests, reaching about 97 to 98 per cent.

As for the death rate, Cyprus came in just below Sweden, far higher than countries such as Finland and Norway but well below Italy and Germany.

Described as the “14-day death notification rate per 1,000,000 inhabitants for the reporting period”, Cyprus’ deaths stood at 41.10 as of the first week of January.

Norway’s was 9.20, Finland’s 9.24, Sweden’s 41.74, Italy’s 113.16, Germany’s 127.20, Hungary’s 160.04 and Slovenia’s 270.55. The countries given are just a sample to indicate the range across European countries.