in-cyprus 23 March 2020 -Edited by Josephine Koumettou
Another 11 people tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday afternoon in the Republic of Cyprus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 95, while another three tested positive in the Turkish-held north raising the total number of cases there to 38.
The first death in the Republic of Cyprus was reported on Saturday.
President Nicos Anastasiades chaired a meeting of the ministerial committee to review the situation amid calls from the medical community and the public for a lockdown to prohibit unnecessary movement and thus break the chain of transmission. There were no statements after the meeting, although the government has said it would not hesitate to implement tougher rules if necessary.
The rules of operation of public hospitals have been extended for another 48 hours. You can read them here.
It’s not all bad news as two private hospitals, Santa Marina in Paralimni and Evangelismos in Paphos are back in action after suspected Covid-19 cases came out negative.
Sources said on Monday that the Ministry of Finance is finalising a support packet for the economy of at least €1.5 billion as businesses and workers get increasingly nervous on what the next day will bring.
The Transport Minister said on Monday that anyone wishing to send medicine and other urgent items abroad can use the Postal Service’s Quickpost.
In decree violation news, police completed 3,000 checks in the last 24 hours alone and booked 15 entities or people, including two churches.
The Limassol Municipality shut down playgrounds and parking lots at the Molos Promenade after hundreds of people, including families, decided to gather there on the weekend, as the Medical Association suggested a lockdown.
In repatriation news, there is only one flight we are aware of so far on Monday by Ural Airlines that is scheduled to fly out of Larnaca airport to Moscow around 2 pm to repatriate Russian nationals.
On Sunday, 49 passengers were flown back to the UK on a flight to Gatwick.
