in-cyprus 20 March 2020 -Edited by Josephine Koumettou
Another nine people tested positive last night in the Republic of Cyprus, including a doctor and a nurse, raising the number to 67, and another 13 in the occupied areas bringing the total to 33.
The A&E departments of Limassol and Paphos Hospitals have suspended operations for 72 hours.
The Labour Ministry issued FAQ regarding the emergency support package and a hotline to launch on Monday.
In good news, two patients that had been found positive to Covid-19 and were being treated at Famagusta Hospital tested negative to the virus on Thursday, China is sending us medical supplies and a Limassol company is giving disinfectant to the government free of charge.
The Ministry of Finance is preparing to pump money into the economy and the Health Minister put all registered doctors and nurses under his orders to tackle the crisis.
In repatriation news, the government is bringing people back on charter flights, mostly from the UK, has launched a repatriation hotline for those in the UK and sent back more than 600 foreign visitors from Paphos airport alone. The repatriated will be taken to special facilities for a 14-day quarantine, including the Rodon hotel in Agros.
In non-repatriation news, the portal for the €750 grant for students who chose to stay abroad for Easter is now open for applications.
In panic-buying news, the Minister of Health had to remind people on Thursday that the government is not planning to close supermarkets because crowds were gathering at and around them. It seems to have worked.
In money-saving news, the Electricity Authority announced a 10% cut in electricity prices effective April 1.
