A 24-year-old patient is being treated at Famagusta General Hospital, operating as a coronavirus reference hospital, where more people who had received fake safe pass certificates also received treatment.

Amalia Hadjiyianni, Scientific Director of the Famagusta and Larnaca, told CNA that there are 66 patients with COVID-19 and eight are receiving treatment in the Increased Care Unit. The youngest patient is aged 24 and the oldest 90- years-old with the median age of patients being 58 -years- old.

She said there has been a stabilisation in admissions with COVID in the last few days and more patients are being released. Only seven of the patients have been vaccinated, Hadjiyianni added.

There is a patient only 35-year-old who does not have any underlying health problems and is intubated. It is very sad to see young people without any health problems ending up on respirators, she added.

The Scientific Director of Famagusta hospital confirmed that last week a man who had a fake vaccination certificate was an inpatient. The patient was released and the Police is now handling the case. A second person had also received treatment with a fake certificate, she added.

It`s very sad for all the staff to see young people in ICUs when they could have avoided the worst with a simple procedure, being vaccinated, said Hadjiyianni, who added that while doctors and nursing staff are putting all their efforts to save lives, it is regretful to see people getting fake vaccination certificates by some doctors, endangering not only their lives but also the lives of their loved ones. “Everyone must realise that the only tool available against COVID is vaccination and people should seize the opportunity and get vaccinated,” she said.

Hadjiyianni added that the staff is making sincere efforts to save the lives of all patients who are in hospital with COVID.

She further said that in Larnaca 25 people are being treated for COVID with one patient in the Increased Care Unit. There are also 102 people in the Tersefanou rehabilitation centre Eden, waiting to receive a negative COVID test after recuperation.