Cypriot health authorities announced 144 new Covid-19 infections bringing the total cases since the outbreak of the pandemic to 121,136, while total deaths remain at 557 as no fatalities were reported on Friday.
 
Furthermore, COVID patients at public hospitals rose to 64, of whom 20 in serious conditions treated at ACUs and ICUs.
 
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health a total of 55,413 tests were carried out with the daily test positivity rate amounting to 0.26%.
 
Total deaths remained at 557 of which 354 or 64% men and 203 or 36% women with a mean age of 76.3 years, the Ministry said.
 
Of the 64 patients treated in public hospitals, 20 are treated in ACUs and ICUS, while 11 patients are intubated in ICUs. Nine patients are treated in ACUs but not connected to a ventilator.
 
Furthermore, the Ministry added that almost 60% of the patients hospitalised have no vaccination history.
 
According to the press release the 144 new COVID cases were traced following 55,413 tests, of which 5,207 were PCR tests and 50,206 rapid antigen tests.
 
A total of 19 new cases were detected after 323 samples taken in the context of contact tracing, 10 new cases emerged after 2,722 samples taken at the airports, 30 new cases were traced following 1,827 test taken privately, 2 new cases emerged after 195 tests carried out in the General Hospitals Microbiological Labs, 57 cases were traced after 29,971 rapid tests carried out in private labs and pharmacies and 26 new cases were detected following 20,325 tests carried out in the context of the Ministry of Health rapid test programme.
 
Furthermore, in the context of testing in primary and high schools 3 and 5 new cases were traced respectively.