First two cases of coronavirus confirmed in South Cyprus

Two cases of coronavirus was on Monday confirmed in southern part of Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot health minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Monday.

The first is a 25 year old man from Limassol who returned from Milan on February 26 and was asked to self-isolate. He first tested negative but remained in self-isolation and tested positive in the second test.

The second case is a 64 year old health professional from Nicosia working for the public sector who returned from the UK on March 3.

The cases are among the 42 people who were being tested for coronavirus on Monday.

The Greek Cypriot Health Ministry has activated all the protocols and is focusing on tracking down all the people with whom the 63 year old patient had come into contact since his return.

He said that 50 samples were tested at the Cyprus Institute for Neurology and Genetics (CING) on Monday and all had come out negative. This includes the soldiers and a suspect in police custody as well as a group of school children.

The two confirmed cases both have mild symptoms, he added.

Ioannou again reiterated the importance of all everyone who has visited high risk countries to self-isolate.

There is no need for panic. We need to be alert and to take the necessary precautions. All those who have travelled to countries which have confirmed cases of coronavirus and show symptoms should self-isolate and telephone 1420.

Sources: Cyprus Mail/In-Cyprus