Five nurses at the Coronavirus ward of the Famagusta referral hospital have tested positive to the virus, the CNA reports.
Head of the hospital Amalia Hadjiyianni said that all relevant protocols have been activated, adding that the five staff members have been quarantined.
Their contacts have been traced, she noted, and all staff have taken a Covid test with all results to this point coming out negative.
“Most patients with Coronavirus being treated at the hospital have severe symptoms and are in need of constant care, which means we cannot exclude the possibility the nurses came into closer contact with them and contracted the virus as a result,” Hadjiyianni said.
She mentioned that the staff are also extremely tired which impacts their immune system.
“We may need additional staff after this development, especially if we have other positive patients soon,” she said.
The State Health Services Organisation (Okypy) issued an announcement following the news saying it stands by the five nurses who tested positive.
“We wish them a speedy recovery and we are here for whatever they need,” Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said, extending the organisation’s gratitude for their services.
