New record in 14-day case rate

Cyprus reported a record 46,487 new COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks, pushing the island’s 14-day accumulated diagnosis rate to its highest level, with the Omicron variant driving the latest surge in the pandemic.

Hospitalisations are also dangerously nearing their alltime high, according to health ministry data.

The island’s two-week cumulative case rate increased to a staggering 5,235 per 100,000, up from 3,199.8 reported in the previous survey. According to the Health Ministry’s latest national epidemiological report, the record number of cases were recorded from January 4 to 17.

Cyprus had been on a rollercoaster ride of new coronavirus cases, peaking at 5,457 on January 4, with cases dropping the past week as they settled below 3,000. However, the recent drop in daily cases were not recorded in the report as the cut off date was Monday, earlier this week.

Hospitalisations are closing in on the all-time high of 301 recorded last April.

As of Wednesday, January 19, some 263 COVID-19 patients (diagnosed up to January 17) were being treated in state hospitals, of whom 44 cases were still in ICU.

The numbers of admitted patients on Thursday night dropped to 244, of whom 37 in the ICU. The ministry, however, announced a record number of 11 deaths, including some unreported from previous days.

According to the report, the vast majority of COVID-19 cases involve people under the age of 60, as the booster shot rollout has been widely available to people over the age of 60 since September.

By age group, cases included 11,297 individuals aged 0-19 years-old (24.3%), 30,481 individuals aged 20-59 years (65.6%), and 4,707 individuals aged 60 years and older (10.1%), while for two cases age was not known.

The median age of all cases diagnosed over the 14 days is 32 years (IQR: 21-41 years). The median age of adult cases (? 18 years) is 37.

Among all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days, district information was available for 37,819 (81.4%) cases ? 15,121 (40%) were in Nicosia district, 10,783 (28.5%) in Limassol, 6,166 (16.3%) in Larnaca, 3,565 (9.4%) in Paphos, and 2,148 (5.7%) in Famagusta, while 36 (0.1) cases had residence abroad.

Based on the epidemiological history, 1.6% (n = 749) were cases with a recent travel history, while 98.4% (n = 45,298) were cases of domestic transmission.

Over the last 14 days, 132,832 RT PCR and 1,538,625 rapid antigen tests have been performed (14,958.6 RT PCR and 173,268.6 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population).

Among cases diagnosed until January 17, 697 COVID-19 associated deaths were reported in the Republic of Cyprus until January 19, (Case Fatality Risk -CFR: 0.3%).