The COVID transmission rate in Cyprus has dropped to 0.6%, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said on Wednesday, while also stating that the daily number of cases is low and a decrease is recorded in hospital admissions.
Responding to questions after a meeting of the Council of Ministers that has decided a number of relaxations of the measures against the further spread of COVID-19, Hadjipantela gave reassurances that although his Ministry does not announce the numbers of cases daily, it receives the numbers daily and is monitoring the situation. He noted that the low numbers and the improvement of the epidemiological outlook in Cyprus have allowed further relaxations.
He stressed, however, that the measures have been suspended and not abolished, and, in case the self-protection measures are not observed, there is a possibility that the good epidemiological outlook recorded at the moment will cease to exist.
He expressed hope that there would be no new mutation which would change the plans and bring back the need to stop this suspension of measures.
Hadjipantela also said that there is a significant drop in hospitalisations. There are now 130 people in hospital due to COVID-19, he said.
He also noted that with the suspension of the SafePass measure there will be no testing sites and everyone, regardless of their vaccination history, if they want to be tested, they will have to go to pharmacies or clinical laboratories for a rapid test or PCR test.
He also clarified that free tests will still be available for close contacts.
Responding to another question, Hadjipantela stated that the ‘test-to-stay’ measure will be suspended in schools, but not in hospitals.
In relation to the National Guard, he said that the Ministry of Defence will decide on whether it will remain in effect or not.
Regarding reports on the situation in Shanghai, and whether the Ministry of Health was worried, he said that he was concerned as do the scientists.
He said he personally had a conversation on Saturday and Sunday with EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakidou, who informed him that there was nothing to worry about, but added: “It is a situation that we must constantly monitor and if there is any new mutation that should concern us, we will take immediate action.”
Regarding the operation of clinics and wards in public hospitals, he said that they are gradually returning to normality, adding that there are several non-Covid patients being treated in clinics, while surgeries are proceeding normally.
Source: Cyprus News Agency