There is currently an increase in confirmed COVID cases and authorities expect an increase in the coming days because of the holidays, according to the Director of Medical Services and Public Health Services, Elisavet Constantinou who spoke to the Cyprus News Agency.

She said that figures between December 1-7 show an increase in the positivity rate but there was not a rise in hospital admissions compared to the previous week. The admissions rose to 32 compared to 29 the previous week.

Constantinou said that this week the recorded cases were 1,538  and positivity rate was around 1.97%. She said that the increase is due to the fact that there are more contacts this period and people gather more in closed spaces where spread is easier.

Replying to a question she said that during the Christmas and New Year holidays there is always an increase in cases. Constantinou also urged the public to get vaccinated and said that the vaccination rate remains low. She said that only 18,000 citizens got the shot from the general population.

She advised citizens to avoid visiting crowded places when they have symptoms of the upper respiratory infection and to use a face mask when it is absolutely necessary to leave the house.

Constantinou said that no new strains of the virus have been detected.