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1261. Collective efforts paying off as 15 new COVID-19 cases announced

Coronavirus cases in the Republic of Cyprus reached 750 on Friday after the Health Ministry confirmed that 15 more had tested positive....

1262. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

1263. President: mistakes, complacency over Easter will mean restrictions drag on

Addressing the nation anew on Thursday, President Nicos Anastasiades said that this weekend, which marks the Greek Orthodox Easter, will test the island’s population but stressed the need for absolute compliance with restriction measures so that it can remain feasible to begin a gradual lifting of the measures as soon as possible....

1264. Cyprus to prepare three-stage coronavirus exit strategy

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the island’s lockdown exit strategy, which foresees the resumption of the operation of vital sectors of the economy in early May....

1265. Civil society group launches petition demanding government covers rent, utility bills

A civil society group that formed in Cyprus amid the coronavirus outbreak to address urgent social concerns that have slipped through the cracks of the government’s support package launched a petition on Wednesday demanding that the government moves to cover rent and suspend utility expenses....

1266. President slams 5G 'fake news'

President Nicos Anastasiades stepped in on Wednesday in attempt to effectively put an end to the “fake news” stirring up “unfounded” concerns among the public over the coronavirus crisis being taken advantage of for the quiet installation of 5G network infrastructure....

1267. 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....

1268. WHO: Vaccine at least 12 months off

The number of new coronavirus cases is steadily decreasing in certain European countries, including Italy and Spain, but outbreaks in the UK and Turkey are continuing to mark upward trends, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday....

1269. Three movements per day possibly the first move in lockdown exit strategy

The expert group of scientists consulting the government in its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus will be convening on Friday to map out Cyprus’ gradual lockdown exit strategy....

1270. Government funds not unlimited, Finance Minister warns

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said Monday that the government does not have unlimited funds with which to support the local economy during these tough times....

1271. Paphos mayor: Government should regulate 'black market pricing' of COVID-19 tests

Condemning the fact that some are taking advantage of the health crisis and making extraordinary profits, Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos demanded on Friday that the government moves to set the price of coronavirus lab tests through a decree....

1272. Elderly in retirement homes at risk of contracting virus through nurses

The island’s third-age observatory raised the alarm on Friday over the risks of coronavirus infection faced by the elderly in retirement homes who are treated by nurses who also work at public hospitals, which are predominantly dealing with coronavirus cases, and which have also been central targets of the virus outbreak....

1273. President: Lockdown measures extended until end of April

Lockdown and other measures in place to contain the coronavirus outbreak will be extended until April 30, with no exceptions to be made during the Orthodox Easter period, President Nicos Anastasiades said in his televised national address on Wednesday night....

1274. UNHCR steps in to ensure refugees in Cyprus receive proper protection

The UNHCR office in Cyprus has stressed that refugees must be included in the government’s planning and response to the Covid-19 pandemic, offering hands-on solutions to the myriad problems in the government’s handling of refugee and asylum procedures that have only been exacerbated by the current crisis....

1275. 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....

1276. NGOs raise alarm over inhumane conditions at overcrowded migrant camp

Two migrant and refugee support NGOs, Cyprus Refugee Council and Caritas Cyprus, have raised the alarm over the inhumane conditions that have developed in the Kokkinitrimithia camp, particularly since the coronavirus pandemic broke out on the island....

1277. Domestic violence cases continue on concerning upward trend

The coronavirus outbreak has brought about a disturbing surge in cases of domestic violence, with the 1440 helpline receiving over 2,000 calls between the date of the confirmation of the island’s first coronavirus case and March 31....

1278. Cabinet approves bills to decongest Central Prisons amid COVID-19 fears

Measures to decompress the overcrowded Nicosia central prisons where the risks associated with a potential spread of coronavirus are high were approved on Tuesday by the Cabinet....

1279. President: stricter measures necessary, but undergoes 'severe crisis of conscience'

In a Facebook post on Tuesday President Nicos Anastasiades said he undergoes “a severe crisis of conscience” every time the Government is required to enforce stricter measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but said that current circumstances necessitate that tougher measures are taken....

1280. Coronavirus death toll rises to seven,confirmed cases rise to 230

A 77-year-old coronavirus carrier died on Monday, raising the death toll in the Republic of Cyprus to seven, while 16 more tested positive bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 230....

1281. Coronavirus deaths rise to five, 16 new cases confirmed

The Health Ministry announced on Friday that two more people who had contracted coronavirus died, involving a 76-year-old Cypriot woman with underlying health conditions and a 47-year-old Greek national. 16 more coronavirus cases were also confirmed....

1282. British Bases 'hand in hand' with Republic of Cyprus in Covid-19 battle

The British Bases in Cyprus go hand in hand with the Republic of Cyprus in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, SBA Administrator, Major General Rob Thomson, said on Thursday, noting that the Bases have been implementing the exact same measures as the ones adopted by the Republic of Cyprus....

1283. EU secures essential protective gear for its battle against coronavirus

The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it has been successful in procuring personal protective equipment that is to be distributed across EU Member States to assist in their battles against the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen an exponential surge in demand for the essential protective gear....

1284. Persons travelling for permitted reasons to fill in a form or send SMS

During the partial curfew to be enforced at 6pm on Tuesday for three weeks, those wishing to leave their home or shelter for any of the reasons falling under the exceptions to the travel restriction must either fill in a special form or send a text message to 8998....

1285. President: Unnecessary travel strictly prohibited, violators to be fined

Addressing the nation on Monday night for the second time since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in Cyprus in early March, President Nicos Anastasiades announced that all unnecessary travel will be banned as of 6pm on Tuesday until April 13....

1286. Greece shuts down to beat pandemic

In a televised address to the nation on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a full lockdown, starting from 6 a.m on Monday, aimed at curbing the further spread of the coronavirus...

1287. Health Minister: better safe than sorry

The top priority at the moment is to ensure the health of each person individually and of the public as a whole, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Friday, stressing that “I prefer to take painful decisions, even if they prove excessive in the end, rather than to remain unprotected.”...

1288. 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....

1289. Government: Supermarkets closures, curfew not on the table

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said in a tweet on Thursday that the government has no intension of shutting supermarkets, urging the public to avoid clustering in supermarkets....

1290. Government urges hotels to host repatriated Cypriots for isolation

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Savvas Perdios, urged hoteliers to respond to a call to host people expected to be repatriated to Cyprus in the coming days, and who are required to confine themselves for 14 days....