Cypriot health authorities on Wednesday announced two deaths due to COVID-19 and 650 new infections, bringing the total number of fatalities and COVID cases since the outbreak of the pandemic to 614 and 142,878 respectively.

Furthermore, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health, total hospitalisations amounted to 157 of whom 54 are treated in serious conditions in ICUs and ACUs.
 
A total of 85,024 tests were carried out today, with the daily positivity rate reaching 0.76% up from 0.82% yesterday.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health, the new fatalities concern a 95-year old man who died on December 14 while being treated in the Famagusta General Hospital and a 82-year old woman who passed away today while being treated in the Limassol General Hospital. Total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic amount to 614, of whom 391 or 63.7% male and 223 or 36.3% female with a mean age of 75.9 years.
 
Furthermore, patients receiving treatment in public hospitals amounted to 157, of whom 54 are being treated in serious condition in ACUs and ICUs. Of the patients in serious condition, 20 are intubated in ICUs, 2 are in ICU but not connected to a ventilator and 32 patients are in ACUs.
 
Data show that 77.08% of the patients have no vaccination history, while 7 post-COVID patients who are no longer infectious are intubated in serious condition in ICUs.
 
According to the Ministry, the 650 new COVID cases were detected following 85,024 tests, of which 7,996 were PCR tests and 77,028 rapid antigen tests.
 
A total of 115 cases were detected following 1,173 samples taken in the context of contact tracing, 21 new cases were diagnosed after 3,510 tests taken at the airports, 124 new infections were detected after 2,807 tests carried out privately, 16 new cases were diagnosed after 274 samples taken by General Hospitals’ Microbiology Labs, 257 new cases were detected after 43,200 rapid tests carried out in private labs and pharmacies, 115 new infections were diagnosed after 33,828 tests carried out in the context of the Ministry of Health rapid test programme and 2 new cases was detected following 231 samples taken on GP referrals.
 
The total 715 new cases include 21 and 20 new infections in junior and high schools, respectively.