The health ministry on Thursday announced that 42 people tested positive for the coronavirus among 7,576 samples taken from schools islandwide.

The tests were carried out among pupils, over the age of 12, and staff in 38 public and private lyceums (high school grades 4 to 6) as well as technical schools in all districts.

Testing in Nicosia produced 12 positives; in Limassol two; Larnaca 17; Paphos two; and Famagusta nine.

The highest positivity by district was in Famagusta at 1.18 per cent.

The overall positivity rate stood at 0.55 per cent.

Clusters were tracked in three schools, as follows: Vergina lyceum in Larnaca with 12 positives; Ayios Georgios lyceum in Lakatamia with nine positives; and Paralimni lyceum in Famagusta with eight positives.