A 76-year-old man became the 20th virus-linked fatality. He had serious underlying health conditions.

This brings the total number of positive cases to 822, including 10 in the British bases.

Specifically, one case was found as part of the government’s strategy to test 20,000 front-line staff, three cases were people who returned from abroad recently, and one case was from a private initiative testing. In total 1,796 lab tests were carried out on Monday.

No cases were detected among 212 samples taken as part of the random testing among 800 people.

Fifteen people – 11 men and four women with average age at 73, have died of coronavirus and another five died with the virus but not of it.

The streak of negative cases in the north continued on Monday for the tenth day with new infections announced. So far, 108 cases were detected in the north and four deaths.

At the moment, 19 people with coronavirus are being treated at the Famagusta general hospital, while seven more patients are at the Nicosia and Limassol intensive care units. Four of the people in the ICUs are on ventilators. Their condition is critical but stable.

“The latest results reinforce the encouraging picture of the last few days,” virologist Dr Leontios Kostrikkis said after announcing the latest figures.

Expressing his satisfaction about the results, Kostrikis said that the scientific advisory committee on coronavirus will suggest to President Nicos Anastasiades on Tuesday the gradual lifting of restrictions.

“The decisions, however, are the responsibility of the political leadership,” he said, adding he did not wish to elaborate.

The scientific director of state health services (Okypy) Dr Marios Loizou, too expressed his satisfaction by the latest results but stressed that relaxation by members of the public as regards the protection measures they take, could mean deterioration of the situation.

“Everything we have achieved is fragile,” Loizou said.

He added that the country is preparing for a gradual return, “not to the everyday life routine we were used to but to a new one.”

“At this phase also, each of us has their role to play,” he said.

Commenting on the readiness to begin gradual relaxation of the restrictive measures, Loizou said this is just the beginning of this effort.

Source: Cyprus Mail