An elderly patient who tested positive for coronavirus was transferred from Larnaca Hospital to Famagusta General Hospital, which is the referral hospital for Covid-19 on Monday night, the Cyprus News Agency reports.
It said that the pathology ward where he was being treated has closed, while the A&E of Larnaca Hospital has partially suspended operations and is not admitting any new patients. All emergencies are sent to the Nicosia General Hospital.
State health services (Okipi) director for Larnaca and Famagusta Yiorgos Karotsakis said that the patient, aged 75, had been admitted last Wednesday with a mild stroke.
While at hospital he exhibited symptoms of coronavirus and was tested, as was a patient in the same room as him. The remaining patients have been isolated.
Karotsakis said the second patient had tested negative but the 75 year old was transferred by special ambulance to Famagusta General Hospital.
Samples are being taken from medical professionals and other patients and contacts are being traced, Karotsakis added.
He said that all the health professionals have been implementing all preventive measures and further decisions will be taken in consultation with epidemiologists.
Depending on the results of the tracing, a decision will taken on whether to close Larnaca Hospital. For the time being no patients are being admitted, to protect both health professionals and patients, he added.
The hospital has also been disinfected, he added.
Karotsakis said that the hospital had stopped visits by patients and prohibited food water or clothing to be brought into the wards.
