Virologist Leontios Kostrikis said these were from 1,250 tests.
He said two of the cases were found through contact tracing, while another two were found among tests conducted on private initiative.
A total of 313 tests processed from state hospital laboratories came back negative, as did 121 on people returning from abroad, and 27 from 2,000 private food and beverage workers.
Another 84 tests were processed from a group of 20,000 public and private sector workers with none testing positive.
“The epidemiological picture remains encouraging. However, the new cases show that the virus is still in our community and being transferred,” Kostrikis said.
Announcing the death, scientific director of state health services Okypy Dr Marios Loizou said the man, 56, died early on Tuesday morning, and had underlying health issues.
Loizou added the final cause of death was not Covid-19.
“In total, the number of deaths of patients with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is 21, and the number from Covid-19 remain at 15,” Loizou said, 11 men and four women, with an average age of 73.
Commenting on the situation in the hospitals, Loizou said as of 3pm four people were intubated, one at Limassol General’s intensive care unit, and three at Nicosia General’s unit. One more individual was being treated at Nicosia General’s unit but was not intubated.
Thirteen people are being treated for the virus at Famagusta General, two of who are in the advanced care unit.
Another six cases are being treated in other hospitals.
One person was discharged.
In the north, ‘health minister’ Ali Pilli said a total of 1,003 tests for coronavirus were conducted on Tuesday with no positive cases. He added a further ten individuals will be further tested for the virus.
Earlier, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said that the daily number of new cases is quite low and this allows experts to be optimistic about the future.
Also the ministry announced it would test people mainly in vulnerable groups for coronavirus prior to their admission to hospital for treatments or surgeries.
The tests concern cancer patients about to begin treatment, people who are slated for surgery and pregnant women who have gone into labour. Elderly people must also get tested before being admitted to old people’s homes.
Tests will also be given to people before they are admitted to psychiatric clinics, rehabilitation units for drug addicts and also children and adults being taken to shelters for victims of abuse. Persons recognised as human trafficking victims will also be tested.
Source: Cyprus Mail
