Journal of Clinical Medicine (Nov 2020)
Extensive Testing and Public Health Interventions for the Control of COVID-19 in the Republic of Cyprus between March and May 2020
- Annalisa Quattrocchi,
- Ioannis Mamais,
- Constantinos Tsioutis,
- Eirini Christaki,
- Costas Constantinou,
- Maria Koliou,
- Zoi-Dorothea Pana,
- Valentinos Silvestros,
- Fani Theophanous,
- Christos Haralambous,
- Androulla Stylianou,
- Sotiroula Sotiriou,
- Maria Athanasiadou,
- Theopisti Kyprianou,
- Anna Demetriou,
- Christiana A. Demetriou,
- Ourania Kolokotroni,
- Ioanna Gregoriou,
- Niki Paphitou,
- George Panos,
- Leontios Kostrikis,
- Peter Karayiannis,
- Georgios Petrikkos,
- Petros Agathangelou,
- George Mixides,
- Georgios Siakallis,
- Linos Hadjihannas,
- Lakis Palazis,
- Anna Vavlitou,
- Chrystalla Matsentidou-Timiliotou,
- Dimitris Koukios,
- Tonia Adamidi,
- Frangiskos Frangopoulos,
- Elizabeth Constantinou,
- Georgios Nikolopoulos
Affiliations
- Annalisa Quattrocchi
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Ioannis Mamais
- School of Sciences, European University, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Constantinos Tsioutis
- School of Medicine, European University, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Eirini Christaki
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Costas Constantinou
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Maria Koliou
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Zoi-Dorothea Pana
- School of Medicine, European University, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Valentinos Silvestros
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Fani Theophanous
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Christos Haralambous
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Androulla Stylianou
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Sotiroula Sotiriou
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Maria Athanasiadou
- Health Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Theopisti Kyprianou
- Health Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Anna Demetriou
- Health Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Christiana A. Demetriou
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Ourania Kolokotroni
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Ioanna Gregoriou
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Niki Paphitou
- American Medical Center, 1311 Nicosia, Cyprus
- George Panos
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Leontios Kostrikis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Peter Karayiannis
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Georgios Petrikkos
- School of Medicine, European University, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Petros Agathangelou
- Heart and Medical Center, Nicosia Heart Institute, 2410 Nicosia, Cyprus
- George Mixides
- American Medical Center, 1311 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Georgios Siakallis
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 1700 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Linos Hadjihannas
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Lakis Palazis
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Anna Vavlitou
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Chrystalla Matsentidou-Timiliotou
- Limassol General Hospital, 3304 Limassol, Cyprus
- Dimitris Koukios
- Limassol General Hospital, 3304 Limassol, Cyprus
- Tonia Adamidi
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Frangiskos Frangopoulos
- Nicosia General Hospital, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Elizabeth Constantinou
- Unit for Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, 1448 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Georgios Nikolopoulos
- Medical School, University of Cyprus, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9113598
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 9,
no. 11
p. 3598
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly affected the well-being of individuals worldwide. We herein describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 in the Republic of Cyprus during the first epidemic wave (9 March–3 May 2020). We analyzed surveillance data from laboratory-confirmed cases, including targeted testing and population screening. Statistical analyses included logistic regression. During the surveillance period, 64,136 tests (7322.3 per 100,000) were performed, 873 COVID-19 cases were diagnosed, and 20 deaths were reported (2.3%). Health-care workers (HCWs) represented 21.4% of cases. Overall, 19.1% of cases received hospital care and 3.7% required admission to Intensive Care Units. Male sex (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 3.04; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.97–4.69), increasing age (aOR: 1.56; 95%CI: 1.36–1.79), symptoms at diagnosis (aOR: 6.05; 95%CI: 3.18–11.50), and underlying health conditions (aOR: 2.08; 95%CI: 1.31–3.31) were associated with hospitalization. For recovered cases, the median time from first to last second negative test was 21 days. Overall, 119 primary cases reported 616 close contacts, yielding a pooled secondary attack rate of 12% (95%CI: 9.6–14.8%). Three population-based screening projects, and two projects targeting employees and HCWs, involving 25,496 people, revealed 60 positive individuals (0.2%). Early implementation of interventions with targeted and expanded testing facilitated prompt outbreak control on the island.
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