National Report shows decrease in number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed, deaths high,

A decrease has been reported in the number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed with signs of stabilization in all districts, according to data in the National Surveillance Report  issued on Friday by the Ministry of Health. At the same time, the number of deaths with COVID-19 an underlying cause increased by 113% during the 29^th week of 2021, in relation to the 28^th.

The report also indicates that the infection rate in the community remains very high with the cumulative impact of 14 days approaching 1500 / 100,000 population (1403.5 / 100,000).

According to the National Surveillance Report, by July 26th, 2021, a total of 98,144 COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed, of which 415 died due to COVID-19.

Only in the last 14 days (13 – 26 July, 2021), 12,463 cases were diagnosed. The median age was 28 years (19-41 years) for 8,428 (67.6%)  cases, of  which, 52.2% were  males (4,404), and 47.8% females (4,024).

By place of exposure, information was available for 624 (5%) cases, of which 6.7% (42) were imported and 93.3% ( 582) were locally acquired.

Until July 28, 255 people were still hospitalized with a median age of patients still hospitalized (255, including those discharged on that day) being 57 years,  55.4% (126 out of 237 are  males,  and  31.9%  are  from   Limassol  district.  Nineteen cases  (25.3%)  still  hospitalised have comorbidities.

Of the 35 cases in intensive care units  (ICU), who are currently notified and diagnosed till July 26th, all are intubated. The median  age  of  current  ICU patients is 61 (52-70) years and 20 (57.1%) are males.

The report also notes that over the last 14 days, 131,243 RT PCR and 883,986 rapid antigen tests have been performed (14,779.6 RT PCR and 99,548 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population).

By  age  group,  cases  included  3,332  infants,  children  and  adolescents  aged  0-19 years-old (26.7%), 8,205 adults aged 20-59 years (65.8%), 922 persons aged 60 years and  older  (7.4%)  The median age of all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days is 28 years (19-41 years). The median age of adult cases is 33 years (25-45 years).

Among all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days, district information was available for 9,120  (73.2%)  cases,  of  which  2,919  (32%)  were  reported  in  Nicosia  district,  2,833 (31.1%) in Limassol, 1,602 (17.6%) in Larnaka, 958 (10.5%) in Pafos, 792 (8.7%) in Ammochostos,  and  16  (0.2%)  were  reported  either  in  the  British  bases  or  had  a residence abroad.

Regarding the clinical features for 6,807 (54.6%) of cases 4.6% ( 310) reported no symptoms and 95.4% (6,497) reported at least one symptom.

Deaths 
The number of deaths with COVID-19 an underlying cause increased by 113% during the 29^th week of 2021, in relation to the 28^th week, according to data in the National Surveillance report. The data analysed cover the period from March 2020 to July 2021.
Among cases diagnosed until 26th July 2021, 493 deaths (all causes) were reported in the Republic of Cyprus until July 28^th.  The mortality (all-causes) for people with COVID-19 is 55.5 per 100,000 population.

Deaths occurred in 326 men (66.1%) and 167 (33.9%) women; the median age of all deaths  was  79  years  (IQR:  70-86  years).

By  district  of  residence,  deceased  cases were 186 (37.7%) from Limassol, 164 (33.3%) from Nicosia, 84 (17%) from Larnaka, 34  (6.9%)  from  Pafos,  20  (4.1%)  from  Ammochostos,  four  deaths  (0.8%)  occurred among cases for which district information was not  available, and one (0.2%) death was reported among cases who had a residence abroad.

The median time from date of sampling to death (all-causes) was 13 days days.

Regarding hospitalization and intensive care unit  admissions, in total, 4.6% (4,522) of people with COVID-19 received hospital care, as of July 28^th. The median age of hospitalized patients was 61 years.

Overall, 453 cases (10% of all hospitalized patients) have been admitted to ICU. The median age of patients ever admitted to ICU was  67 years. ICU patients were mainly male (296; 65.3%). The overall median length of stay in ICU (for all ICU cases) was  12 days.

A total of 434 ICU patients (95.8% of all ICU patients) have been intubated – currently all patients in ICU are intubated (including deaths/discharged/extubated on that day).

By July 26th, 2021, among cases alive, 88.2% (86,065) of COVID-19 cases have recovered/released from isolation.