Coronavirus hits Cyprus police force

The island’s coronavirus outbreak hit the police force on Friday, with one member of police working at the police headquarters in Nicosia testing positive for the virus.

The news was confirmed by police spokesperson Christos Andreou on Friday, who stressed that all Health Ministry protocols have been activated.

The confirmed case is reportedly an officer who had come in contact with another confirmed coronavirus carrier, and had placed himself in isolation as soon as he had been informed that the person had tested positive.

Andreou added that the spaces where the member of police who tested positive for coronavirus worked will be fully disinfected on Friday, while efforts to locate all his contacts have begun.

The police spokesman noted that the police officer’s place of work may be temporarily evacuated, with his colleagues moved to other work spaces.

“Unfortunately, our members are always on the front lines and it was to be expected that there would be a confirmed case," Andreou said, adding that "for us it is very difficult because our goal is to remain to the greatest extent possible unaffected from this virus in order to be able to offer our services to society to the best of our abilities."