Coronavirus: a record 457 new cases announced on Thursday (Update 2)

The health ministry on Thursday announced 457 cases of Covid-19 – a new daily record – of which 151 were positives from rapid antigen tests performed in previous days, bringing the total to 16,647 since the outbreak began in March.

Another 240 positives emerged from the latest rapid tests performed, but these are pending confirmation via PCR.

The 457 latest positives emerged from 3,750 PCR tests. In addition, 7,768 rapid tests were carried out.

The new record – the previous one was 424 on December 11 – comes just as the experts advising the government were expressing cautious optimism over a decline in the numbers, a week after the government tightened restrictions even more.

A breakdown of the positives showed that 173 came from contact tracing; two at the airports; 110 from people getting tested on their own initiative; 18 from tests carried out by the various hospitals’ microbiology labs; two from persons referred for testing by their GP; one from the Eldyk army camp; and the 151 rapid tests since confirmed via PCR.

On the hospital front the situation fared somewhat better than a day earlier: there were 115 patients with Covid-19, 25 of whom in a serious condition. That compared to 125 hospitalised (26 in serious condition) on Wednesday.

Of the 25 in a serious condition on Thursday, 12 were intubated, two in ICU (not on mechanical ventilation), and 11 more in a high-dependency unit.

The Famagusta referral hospital was caring for 50 patients in the dedicated coronavirus ward, plus five more in the high-dependency unit.

At Nicosia general hospital, there were 29 patients in total, of whom 14 in ICU (12 intubated), nine in the Covid-19 ward, and six in the high-dependency unit.

Limassol general hospital was caring for 28 patients in the Covid-19 ward, and Makario hospital had three patients.

The coronavirus death toll stands at 85.

In the north meanwhile 33 new cases were announced out of 1,840 tests. The north’s cases tally has reached 1,342 cases. Six people have died of Covid-19 there.

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