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1261. Perdios: Cyprus expects just 30% of last year’s tourists

Cyprus expects to attract just 30% of the four million tourists that visited the island last year, deputy minister for tourism Savvas Perdios said, claiming that this year will without a doubt be very tough for the local tourism sector, but the epidemiological data of the island and countries from which it expects tourists will ultimately have the final say....

1262. Health Ministry issues list categorizing countries according to COVID-19 risk

The Health Ministry’s epidemiological surveillance and infectious disease control unit released on Wednesday a list of countries separated into three categories after evaluating the epidemiological risk of each country as regards coronavirus....

1263. With healthcare in focus, Cyprus reopens for visitors

Cyprus reopened its airports on Tuesday after almost three months of lockdown, hoping its record in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and a pledge of free medical treatment for any Covid-19 cases will lure tourists back to its beaches....

1264. Cyprus must remain successful in battle against virus, Health Minister says

Cyprus has been successful so far in controlling COVID-19 but needs to remain so, said Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou, noting that the EU must improve the overall quality of its healthcare services to be better positioned to deal with issues like COVID-19 in the future....

1265. Anastasides and Merkel discuss Turkish drilling plans, Covid-19 exit strategies

President Nicos Anastasiades and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed on Thursday Turkey’s illegal drilling activities in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but also touched on the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and EU issues....

1266. The growing complications of the reopening of checkpoints

The discussion for the reopening of checkpoints will be anything but an easy feat, as in addition to the role played by the epidemiological situation, the matter is inevitably being politicized in view of ‘elections’ set to take place in the north, but also in light of the UNSG’s report expected around the end of June....

1267. Cyprus to foot the bill for infected tourists

The Republic of Cyprus is pledging to cover all costs for anyone testing positive for the coronavirus while on vacation on the eastern Mediterranean island nation...

1268. Repair and Prepare: EU unveils €750 bln plan for coronavirus recovery

The European Commission unveiled on Wednesday a plan to borrow on the market and then disburse to EU countries 750 billion euros in grants and loans to help them recover from their coronavirus slump, giving an immediate boost to the euro....

1269. Greece to welcome Germans, Cypriots, Israelis in first wave of visitors

Greece will allow travelers from around two dozen countries including Germany, Cyprus and Israel to visit from mid-June without having to be quarantined, government officials said, part of a gradual easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions....

1270. Airports to reopen in two stages from June 9

Cyprus on Friday worked out the details of the resumption of its tourism sector, with the Cabinet green lighting a two-stage action plan for the reopening of the Larnaca and Paphos airports....

1271. Health advisory committee evaluating 20 countries for tourism protocol

With the Cabinet set to take concrete decisions on Friday regarding the gradual resumption of the operation of airports in mid-June, the Health Ministry’s epidemiological surveillance unit is evaluating a list of 20 countries from which Cyprus could receive tourists this summer....

1272. EU pushes to unlock borders as coronavirus ravages travel

1273. President gives thanks to nurses and midwives

President Nicos Anastasiades expressed the government’s and his own “deep gratitude” toward nurses and midwives for their valuable contribution in protecting the public’s health....

1274. 'Tourism dogma' piques Israel’s interest

The Israeli tourism minister says his country is looking into the possibility of joining a safe zone for travel that is currently in the works between Cyprus and Greece...

1275. Greece pledges €3m, Cyprus €200,000 to Covid-19 vaccine fundraiser

Greece is among dozens of nations that will help bankroll research into new treatments and a vaccination against the deadly novel coronavirus, pledging 3 million euros to the cause during a fundraising event on Monday....

1276. Lifting restrictions signal progress, but concerns high over relapse

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said Wednesday that with the island moving toward recovering from the coronavirus outbreak, the gradual lifting of measures set to begin next week is a testament of the progress being made, but it also a source of intense concern over a potential relapse....

1277. 'Better Days Are Coming' campaign calls on tourists to visit Cyprus

A new campaign launched by the Deputy Tourism Ministry promises that ‘Better Days Are Coming’, calling on tourists to begin making plans to visit Cyprus, where idyllic landscapes and crystal clear seas will be waiting to greet them....

1278. Lagarde draws line on how far ECB largesse can go

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde drew the line on how far the ECB could go in helping virus-stricken eurozone countries on Wednesday, saying lending to governments directly would be illegal and handing out cash to citizens difficult....

1279. Sustainability the key word in approach against COVID-19, says Swedish Ambassador

Sweden’s Ambassador in Nicosia Anders Hagelberg has spoken of the need for a sustainable approach as regards dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak and has noted that one cannot compare the measures taken in different countries, as each one has different social and family structures in place....

1280. We will defeat our shared pandemic enemy and rise stronger in its wake

The story of U.S. leadership in the global battle against Covid-19 is a story of days, months, and decades. Every day, new U.S. technical and material assistance arrives in hospitals and labs around the world. These efforts, in turn, build on a decades-long foundation of American expertise, generosity, and planning that is unmatched in history....

1281. Covid-19 death toll in Greece rises to 81

Greece’s coronavirus toll has risen to 81 with the death of a 42-year-old man in the northern port city of Thessaloniki and of an 84-year-old woman in Athens....

1282. Euro zone ministers look for economy quick fixes

Euro zone finance ministers are likely to converge on Tuesday on three quick options to support the economy in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, officials have said, with some discussion also of longer-term ideas to aid a recovery....

1283. Foreign Ministry in lockdown after diplomat tests positive for COVID-19

A diplomat at the Foreign Ministry has tested positive for the virus, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Thursday, with the diplomat said to have come in contact with a small number of coworkers at the Ministry which was placed on lockdown on Wednesday night....

1284. North records first coronavirus death

An infected elderly tourist who was hospitalized in a Turkish Cypriot hospital has died, marking the first coronavirus death in the northern part of the divided island...

1285. North tries to keep tight grip on virus

Reports in the north painted a bleak picture in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, with an infected bus driver saying he was denied a test for the bug after transporting tourists to their quarantine location...

1286. Clocks move forward this weekend

Daylight Saving Time went into effect on Sunday in Cyprus as public opinion around the world still remains divided on whether there is value in switching back and forth...

1287. COVID-19 cases on the rise: 14 new cases in Republic, nine in north

Cyprus on Thursday saw 14 new coronavirus cases in the Republic and nine additional cases confirmed in the north, raising the total to 146 and 56 respectively....

1288. North stocking up on medical supplies

More cases in the north are being released from quarantine while others test positive, as Turkish Cypriot authorities see medical supplies and financial support starting to pour in...

1289. Coronavirus cases surge to 116

The week kicked off on Monday with 21 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the Republic of Cyprus, pushing the total up to 116....

1290. Over 1200 Cyprus citizens repatriated last week

With the universal flight ban in place since Saturday, several rescue flights continued to fly in and out of Cyprus through the weekend, with one flight departing for Moscow on Monday afternoon to repatriate Russians stranded on the island following the Covid-19 outbreak....