Authorities in Cyprus announced three more deaths from COVID-19 bringing the total to 526 and 174 new cases out of 56,956 tests. The positivity rate stands at 0.31%. At the same time, 119 people are being treated in hospitals across the island, 37 of whom in a serious condition.

In a press release the Ministry of Health said that 80.68% of patients with COVID-19 who are treated in hospital have not been vaccinated. Twelve post-COVID patients who are no longer infectious, continue to be intubated in ICUs in a serious condition, it added.

The deaths announced concern a man aged 99 and a woman aged 74 who passed away at Limassol General Hospital on September 8, and another man aged 64 who passed away today at Nicosia General Hospital`s ICU. 

Total deaths attributed to COVID-19 are 526, 339 or 64% men and 187 or 36% women, with a median age of 76.4. Total cases since the outbreak of the pandemic have reached 117,553.
 
In total, 119 people with COVID-19 are treated in state hospitals, 37 of whom in a serious condition, the Ministry said; 16 are intubated, another 2 are treated in an ICU but are not intubated and another 19 are treated in an ACU.

A total of 56,956 tests were carried out on Thursday, 4,796 by PCR method and 52,160 by antigen rapid test method detecting 174 new COVID-19 cases as follows:

Out of 181 samples taken through contact tracing, 17 people tested positive; out of 2,353 samples taken from passengers in airports 8 people tested positive; out of 2,041 samples tested privately 30 were found to be positive; out of 148 samples from the General Hospitals` Microbiology Labs 8 people tested positive; out of 31,342 samples tested by antigen rapid test in private clinics and pharmacies 82 people were found to be positive and out of 20,818 samples tested by antigen rapid test through the Ministry`s screening programme 29 people tested positive.