Coronavirus: 233 new cases, record daily tally on Thursday (Updated)

Health authorities said Thursday another 233 people have tested positive for the coronavirus, the highest daily tally since the outbreak in Cyprus.

The result came on the same day the government rolled out tighter restrictions, especially on outdoor movement, with an 11pm to 5am curfew throughout the island, as scientists warned of the virus’ rising prevalence in the community.

Thursday’s number set a new daily record, beating the previous one of 202  positives registered on October 17.

According to a press release, 113 positives were registered through contact tracing, from 834 samples; 77 through private initiative, from 1,380 samples; 16 from the microbiology labs of the general hospital, from 163 samples; 11 at the airports, from 958 samples; and nine as a result of doctor referrals, from 126 samples.

Four more cases turned up from testing in schools (150 samples); one case from testing among football clubs (142 samples); and two more positives from three migrants tested.

The cumulative number of people having tested positive for Sars-Cov-2 since March now stands at 5,333.

As far as the hospital situation goes, 50 people are being treated for the coronavirus at the Famagusta referral hospital, of whom five in the high-dependency unit.

The Nicosia general hospital is currently treating 10 patients in a dedicated ward for Covid-19. There are also five people intubated in ICU there.

According to the state health services (Okypy), seven persons tested positive at Limassol general hospital, specifically the pathology ward.

Five were inpatients, and two were staff. The patients were transferred to the referral facility in Famagusta.

The pathology ward at Limassol general has suspended new patient admissions.

In the north meanwhile, seven more people tested for positive, bring the cumulative there up to 956.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.