Ambulance services respond to 422 emergency calls over Christmas period

Ambulance services responded to 422 emergency calls during Christmas break, with 172 of these in the Nicosia district, the head of the ambulance service Riana Constantinou said on Saturday.

She said that the calls were made from December 24 to 26 and included cases of chest pain, injuries and illnesses. 

All incidents were attended to promptly. Konstantinou said that emergency calls typically rise during the holiday period. 

This year, Nicosia recorded an increase compared with previous years, although overall figures remain within the usual range for festive periods. 

No fatal road accidents were reported during the three days.

Hospitals and emergency departments were on alert, with beds available to manage urgent cases, the spokesman of the public healthcare organisation (Okypy), Charalambos Charalambous, said. 

He added that hospitals saw higher activity during the holidays as many personal and specialist doctors were on leave.

To manage demand, Okypy has long applied a fast-track clinic system, which treats non-urgent cases separately to ease pressure on emergency departments.

Charalambous confirmed that the cases seen were typical for the season, including strokes, heart attacks, some traffic accidents and a rise in flu infections. 

However, he said flu levels were not concerning compared with other parts of Europe.

He reassured that public hospitals are ready to handle any emergency, with sufficient beds and strengthened emergency services to respond efficiently.