The COVID-19 fatality rate was at May 26 at 2.6% in Cyprus, while 784 or 83.5% of the people who contracted the disease have recovered, epidemiological datareleased today have shown.

The data, which are based on laboratory-confirmed cases notified to the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health, were presented on Thursday during a press conference at the Ministry of Health by professor Georgios Nicolopoulos.

According to the data, as of May 26th, a total of 939 COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths (case fatality rate: 2.6%) have been reported in the Republic of Cyprus.

Among these cases, 20.1% or 189 are health-care workers, 4.1% or 39 physicians, 10.1% or 95 nurses, 1.4% or 13 other health occupations and 4.5% or 42 auxiliary staff.

The median age of cases is 45 years; 49.8% are female and 50.2% are male.

Overall, of 794 cases for which the place of exposure was known, locally acquired infections were 658 or 82.9% – of these 8.7% or 57 were related to a health-care facility (General Hospital in Pafos) and 12.5% or 82 were reported in Aradippou municipality.
In total, 18.7% or 176 of cases received hospital care, of which 141 patients or 80.1% have been discharged alive from the hospital. The median age of all hospitalized patients is 62 years and 64.9% are males.

Three patients were still in intensive care units by May 26th.  All of them were intubated.

Overall, 784 (83.5%) cases have recovered without symptoms and with two negative tests following their diagnosis or released 21 days after diagnosis.

A total of 105,929 tests have been performed as of May 26th, that is to say 12,093.7 per 100,000 population.

As of May 26th, 939 laboratory-confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported.

The median time between symptoms onset and date of sampling was 4 days. It should be noted that for 14 cases the date of sample collection was before the onset of symptoms because of immediate testing of contacts of possible and laboratory-confirmed cases.

As of May 26th, the 14-day cumulative incidence rate of COVID-19 (per 100,000 population), a measure which reflects the number of active COVID-19 cases in the population (prevalence)1, is 3.9 per 100,000 population.

The median age of cases is 45 years. By age groups, cases included 58 infants, children and adolescents aged 0-17 years-old (6.2%), 652 adults aged 18-59 years (69.4%), and 229 persons aged 60 years and older (24.4%).

Among all cases, 364 (38.8%) were reported in Nicosia district, 242 (25.8%) in Larnaka, 161 (17.2%) in Pafos, 107 (11.4%) in Limassol, 43 (4.6%) in Famagusta, and 22 (2.3%) were reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad, or information was not available.

Notably, 125 cases (13.3%) were reported in Aradippou, a municipality in Larnaka district. Cases in Aradippou, including a cluster in a local bakery production line, are mainly males (58.4% or 73) and the median age is 49 years. If the cluster is excluded, cases are mainly female (53.6% or 52) and the median age is 55 years.
 
As of May 26th, place of exposure is available for 794 cases (84.6%).

In total, 17.1% or 136 of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-cases had history of travel or residence abroad during the 14 days prior to symptom onset (imported). These cases have a direct link to the UK and Greece, mainly.

Locally acquired infections occurred in 82.9% or 658 of 794 with known place of exposure of the cases, of which 8.7% or 57 were related to a health-care facility, the General Hospital in Pafos.

Of all cases in Aradippou, 82 (65.6%) were locally-acquired, 10 (8%) imported and for 33 cases (26.4%) the epidemiological link was not recorded at the moment.

Out of the 939 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-cases, clinical information is available for 98.5% or 925, of which 32.5% or 301 reported no symptoms at diagnosis and 67.5% or 624 reported at least one symptom.

The most commonly reported symptoms were cough (312/913; 34.2%), fever (294/912; 32.2%), myalgia (201/911; 22.1%),sore throat (157/909; 17.3%), anosmia (108/821; 13.2%) and shortness of breath (106/896; 11.8%).

Other reported symptoms were diarrhea, runny nose, and headache.

According to the data, information on comorbidities was available for 830 (88.4%) cases. Of these, 338 (40.7%) reported at least one comorbidity.

The most commonly reported comorbidities werehypertension (130/822; 15.8%), diabetes (75/830; 9%), heart disease (66/825; 8%) and cancer (25/830; 3%).

Other reported comorbidities were chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disease, and chronic respiratory disease.
As of May 26th, 24 deaths were reported in Cyprus (Case Fatality Rate – CFR: 2.6%). The mortality rate for COVID-19 is 2.7 per 100,000 population.

Seventeen deaths (70.8%) occurred in men and seven (29.2%) in women; the median age of all deaths was 76 years (IQR: 67-79 years). Nine deaths were reported among residents in Larnaka, seven in Pafos, three in Nicosia and Famagusta, each, and two in Limassol.

The median time from date of sampling to death was 10 days.

For 17 deaths, COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death (COVID-19 CFR: 1.8%).
In total, 18.7% or 176 of people with COVID-19 received hospital care, and 141 patients or 80.1% have been discharged alive from the hospital. The median age of hospitalized patients was 62 years. Hospitalized cases were mainly males (114 or 64.8%).

Overall, 32 cases (18.2% of all hospitalized patients) have been admitted to ICU4, of which three were still in ICU (as of May 26th).
A total of 27 ICU patients (84.4% of all ICU patients) have been intubated, of which three (100% of all patients currently in ICU) are still intubated.
 
The overall median length of stay in ICU, for all 32 ICU cases, considering those still in ICU until May 26th, was 11 days.
For patients who died while in ICU (16), the median length of stay in ICU was 10.5 days. For patients transferred/discharged alive from ICU (13), the median length of stay in ICU was 10 days.

The median age of patients ever admitted to ICU was 65.5 years. ICU patients are mainly male (23 or 71.9%).
The number of cases currently in ICU is 0.3 per 100,000 population. For comparison, Italy and Lombardia reported the highest rates of 6.7 per 100,000 population (n = 4,068) and 13.8 per 100,000 population (n = 1,381) on April 3rd.

The ICU rates in Italy and Lombardia on May 26th are 0.9 per 100,000 population (512) and 1.8 per 100,000 population (183)
As of May 26th, 83.5% (784) of COVID-19 cases have recovered; 688 (73.3%) tested negative two consecutive times, and 96 (10.2%) have been released as per the new guidelines6. The median time between the second negative result and the first date of sampling was 25 days.

For asymptomatic cases, or for persons isolated at home, the negative tests to document virus clearance should be obtained at a minimum of 14 days after the initial positive test (end of the quarantine period).

As of May 26th, in Cyprus the reporting rate was 107.2 cases per 100,000 population, the mortality rate was 2.7 deaths per 100,000 population and the CFR was 2.6%.