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1471. 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....

1472. Cyprus announces 'timid first steps' in easing restrictions

In a televised national address on Wednesday night, President Nicos Anastasiades presented the detailed plan of the first two phases of Cyprus’ lockdown exit plan, with the first phase, which will see a timid resumption of the economy and a small loosening of restrictions on individual freedoms, set to begin on May 4....

1473. Athens decides in favor of face masks

With the easing of lockdown restrictions imminent, the Health Ministry has decided in favor of the mandatory use of face masks in closed crowded places such as grocery stores, hospitals, clinics, hairdressers etc...

1474. Conditions at migrant camps improving, but arbitrary detention issues remain

The UNHCR office in Cyprus said on Monday that it was pleased with the steps being taken to improve the living conditions of asylum seekers on the island, but expressed hope that additional measures will follow to tackle the multifaceted issues that emerged amid the coronavirus outbreak....

1475. Churchgoers of illegal service fiasco to face court

By Friday morning, police had managed to track down 14 of the churchgoers who had taken part in an illegal service at Ayios Georgios Spileon Monastery in Limassol’s Erimi village on Thursday, which soon turned into a fiasco as participants had locked themselves in rooms upon the sight of the police while some managed to escape....

1476. Health Minister hopes restrictions scrapped within three months

1477. Health Minister: Gradual easing of measures every two weeks

Restriction measures will be gradually loosened every two weeks, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou told state broadcaster CyBC on Wednesday morning....

1478. Turkey: ‘Maximalist and uncompromising attitude’ of Greece and Cyprus threatens regional peace

Turkey has reacted to Greece’s condemnation Tuesday of the country’s newly declared drilling within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf of the Republic of Cyprus....

1479. New SOS app for abuse victims to be launched

An SOS mobile application for abuse victims will be launched in the coming days, President of NGO Phoni, Anastasia Papadopoulou, said on Tuesday....

1480. 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....

1481. Lockdown weighs heavily on Orthodox Christians during Easter

1482. 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....

1483. 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....

1484. 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....

1485. 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....

1486. 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....

1487. 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....

1488. 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....

1489. 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....

1490. 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....

1491. 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....

1492. 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....

1493. 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....

1494. 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....

1495. 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....

1496. 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....

1497. 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....

1498. 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....

1499. 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....

1500. 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....