One person has died and another 35 people have tested positive for coronavirus, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

This brings the total number of deaths to six and the total number of confirmed cases to 214 (including five in the British Bases).

Doctor Marios Loizou said that the man who died was aged 68 years old and was being treated in the ICU of Nicosia General Hospital.

The average age of the victims is 64. Of the six, four had underlying medical conditions. The dead are five men and one woman.

According to the update from the Ministry of Health, the new confirmed cases — which are the highest recorded in Cyprus so far are:

31 found through tracing of the contacts of people who were found positive to Coronavirus

2 had returned from a trip in European countries

2 whose history is being investigated

126 of the 214 confirmed cases are from contact with other people found positive to Coronavirus.

Eighteen have been cured.

Dr Leontios Kostrikis said that in many cases people had become infected within the family environment. “It shows unfortunately that basic rules of protection were not adhered to. There is no point in self isolating and then organize family gatherings. Everyone must be responsible,” he said.

There are currently nine patients in the ICU of Nicosia (six) and Limassol Hospitals (three) and they have been intubated. Their condition is described as stable but critical.

There are also 26 patients at Famagusta General Hospital which is the referral hospital for Covid-19. Of the 26, five are in the increased care unit.

Asked about the curve regarding the positive cases, given today’s jump, Kostrikis said it was difficult to predict at this moment.

And he did not rule out the possibility of the president introducing even tougher restrictions, warning that the infection could get out of hand very easily and that it was therefore essential for people to comply with the rules and stay at home.

Doctors had initially announced that the man who died was the father of a 47 year old who died of Covid-19 earlier this week.

This was quickly corrected and the ICU of Nicosia Hospital and its director Dr Lakis Palazis issued an apology for the error. It said the father of the 47 year old was still fighting for his life in the ICU.