The health ministry announced 385 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday from 45,598 PCR and rapid tests yielding a positivity rate of 0.84 per cent.

Eighty-three of the new cases were in Limassol which had a positivity rate of 0.94 per cent, followed by Nicosia with 44 cases and a positivity rate of 0.37 per cent. There were nine positives found in schools from 9,967 tests.

There were no new deaths. The total death toll remains at 241.

There are 212 people in hospitals of whom 43 are in a serious condition. Of these 16 are intubated.

Of the 45,598 tests carried out on Thursday, 3,243 were PCR and 42,355 were rapid tests.

The 385 new cases were identified as follows:

  • 134 from 856 samples taken through contact tracing
  • 3 from 532 samples taken at airports
  • 61 from 1,484 samples taken through private initiative.
  • 8 from 288 samples tested at hospital labs
  • 13 from 571 samples tested by private labs and pharmacies.
  • 166 from 41,784 samples taken under the health ministry’s free testing programme.

In addition, 83 samples taken through GP referrals did not produce any positives.