Announcing the new cases, virologist Leontios Kostrikkis said three cases were part of the testing of 20,000 workers in the public and private sector, ten were from contacts with other cases, one arrived from abroad on Monday, and 16 were from a company in Aradippou where 10 workers previously tested positive.

The rest are being investigated.

Kostrikis said the 16 from the company were also found to be living in the same apartment building, “where social distancing measures were not being enforced”.

So far, he said, of the 20,000 tests to be conducted on workers in the public and private sector as of Saturday, 1,276 have been processed.

Kostrikis added the results of cases found through contact tracing is encouraging.

“However, the number of positive cases found among the population concerns intensely, as it confirms our worries the virus is in the community and is spreading,” Kostrikis said.

Many individuals have been infected because they did not take the appropriate safety precautions, and did not understand the importance of social distancing, he added.

Clinical director of state health organisation, Okypy, Dr Marios Loizou said the number of people in critical care as of 3pm was 12, six at Nicosia General and six at Limassol General. He added three in Nicosia and all six in Limassol were on ventilators.

“The clinical situation of all of them is for now critical but stable,” he said.

Twenty-three more people are being treated at Famagusta General, and another five in other hospitals, he said.

Loizou added two people have recovered and were released on Tuesday.

“We all need to protect ourselves and those around us. This will not be guaranteed by any tests or check. Only strict adherence to what we say every day. Keep our distance, wash our hands, do not touch the face,” he said.

Loizou added Cyprus has conducted many tests despite the small size of the island.

“Patience is needed, and we will make it,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the north a total of 162 tests were conducted and there were no new cases, reports said. The total of infected cases remains at 100.

Source: Cyprus Mail