North changes rules for crossings

Experts monitoring the coronavirus pandemic in the north issued new rules for people wishing to cross from the south after positive cases were detected among Greek Cypriots in the Karpas peninsula.

As of Monday, people will be able to cross from territories of the Republic into the north for a period of 24 hours, and will require a PCR test taken no more than 24 hours prior to crossing.

On Sunday night, three positive coronavirus cases were detected in the north after 1,088 tests were conducted, with two involving imported cases while one was locally-acquired.

On Saturday, new cases amounted to 17, seven of which were transmitted among the local community.

So far, the north has recorded 1,051 coronavirus cases.

Eight of the recent positive cases detected in the north involved Greek Cypriots living in the Karpas peninsula, including an 11-year-old child and an 11-month-old baby, the Cyprus News Agency announced Monday, citing announcements issued in the north.

Six of the eight cases were transferred to hospitals in the Republic, while two are receiving treatment at hospitals in the north.

The coronavirus situation in the north was the focus of discussions held Sunday between the new Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and Ali Pilli, in charge of health matters in the north. Tatar stressed the situation was under control, with around two to five cases being detected daily, in contrast to the epidemiological developments in the Republic where daily cases are consistently three-digit figures.

Tatar also pointed to the difficulties being faced by hospitals in the Republic, while ICUs in hospitals in the north are free of coronavirus patients.