Coronavirus: Two deaths and 419 new cases announced on Saturday (updated)

Cyprus recorded two Covid-19 deaths and 419 new cases on Saturday, the health ministry announced.

An 81-year-old man with underlying health issues who was being treated at Nicosia general hospital and an 83-year-old woman also with underlying health problems being treated at Limassol general hospital died.

This brings the total number of deaths from the virus to 89, with an average age of 78.

The cases include 144 confirmations of people who had tested positive with a rapid test in previous days.

Another 215 people tested positive with a rapid test on Saturday after 5,981 tests. These will have to be confirmed with a PCR test in the coming days.

The ministry of health said that turnout for rapid tests was low in the Famagusta region, and it called on people to go for one.

The new cases were identified from 4,323 PCR tests nationwide and bring to 17,476 the total number of cases found on the island since March.

Out of 146 PCR tests on people to confirm a positive rapid test, 144 again tested positive.

Another 121 cases were traced after 778 tests as part of contact tracing, and 125 from 1,634 tests taken on private initiative.

Another 24 cases were found after 384 tests in the laboratories of state hospitals.

Three of the new cases were identified after a referral by their personal doctor for a PCR test.

Only two cases were traced from 1,112 tests on people arriving at airports.

The ministry said there are 115 people with coronavirus being treated in hospital. The majority, (58 patients) are in Famagusta reference hospital.

In total, 22 patients are in serious condition, eleven of whom are in intensive care (without ventilators) and nine in high dependency units.

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