Updates from Cyprus
Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has signed a joint EU leaders` letter vowing to “continue fighting against discrimination towards the LGBTI community.” The letter comes a day after the European Commission said it would take legal steps against Hungary’s new anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
In a message on Twitter, President Anastasiades said “hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
More than 90% of COVID-19 patients in the island’s hospitals have not been vaccinated yet, the Ministry of Health says in a press release on Wednesday.
It underlines that 70% of the new cases are under 40 years of age.
The Ministry notes that the risk of spreading the virus and becoming seriously ill due to the high infection caused by the new strains remains high. Contact tracing in the last few days as well as an investigation into the background of patients show that 70% of the new cases are under 40 years of age.
Only 4% have completed their vaccination regime, the Ministry says adding that around 16% have received their first dose but remain susceptible to the virus since they have not achieved full immunity. More than 90% of those infected and admitted are unvaccinated.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday 167 new coronavirus COVID-19 cases, while 43 patients are in hospitals.
The new cases were found after 33,413 tests. The positivity rate stands at 0.50%. Since the outbreak of the pandemic 73,999 people have been infected.
No deaths were recorded, thus their number remains 378, 254 men (67%), and 124 women (33%).
Their median age is 77.
Out of the 19 patients who are in a serious condition, 10 are intubated.
In the Famagusta General Hospital there are 12 patients, 15 in the Nicosia Hospital and 16 are receiving treatment in the Limassol Hospital.
The new cases were found after 33,413 tests done with the PCR method (4,876) and the rest with the antigen rapid test method.
The cases were found as follows: 35 from contact tracing, 3 from
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Dr Petros Karayiannis, Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Virology at the University of Nicosia Medical School, has told CNA that the increase in new coronavirus cases is alarming, adding that vaccination is the only way to address the problem.
“Unfortunately, the 122 new cases were a shocking result” he said, referring to the number of cases announced on Tuesday.
He said that if citizens do not abide by the health protection measures, then the situation will get out of control.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The Department of Meteorology has issued on Tuesday an awareness for thunderstorms that may be accompanied by hail.
According to the announcement, the awareness level is at yellow and is valid from 12:00 until 19:00 on Tuesday (local time).
According to the Department, isolated thunderstorms, which may be accompanied by hail are expected to affect mainly mountains and inland areas.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The European Council intends to welcome the de-escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean, offer phased, proportionate and reversible positive engagement with Turkey and recall that it remains fully committed to the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, notably 550, 789, 1251, according to latest draft conclusions, seen this morning by CNA and tabled at the General Affairs Council for debate ahead of the European Council meeting on Thursday.
More specifically, the draft text on Turkey notes that “the European Council reverted to the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the European Union’s relations with Turkey, as agreed in March, and recalled the EU’s strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus` Law Office on Tuesday released the final report of the Inquire Committee for naturalisations which was appointed to look into the exceptional naturalisations granted to foreign businessmen and investors from 2007 to August 17, 2020.
The 786-page report which is redacted according to the law and for the protection of public interest as agreed with the Committee, suggests the revoking of the citizenships granted to a number of foreign nationals. Moreover, it urges authorities to investigate the possible commission of criminal offences, including making false declarations.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric has praised the EU-CoE cooperation project that helped justice reform in Cyprus.
A press release by the CoE says that on 18 June the Supreme Court of Cyprus announced the adoption of new Rules of Civil Procedure. The preparation of the new Rules was facilitated through a cooperation project conducted by the Council of Europe in partnership with the European Union.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Minister of Health Constantinos Ioannou called upon citizens under 30 years old to arrange an appointment for vaccination against COVID19, noting that the vast majority of cases or hospitalizations are citizens who are not vaccinated.
Ioannou, who visited on Tuesday the Famagusta General Hospital, which is the Reference Hospital for COVID19, said he was concerned about the increasing number of new cases.
Replying to questions about the number of cases, he said that on Monday the positivity rate had doubled and noted that this causes concern.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The share of people outside the labour force as a percentage of the total working age population (age group15-64) had been on a downward trend, falling from 32.3% in 2002 to 26.6% in 2019 in the EU, according to data released today by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU. In 2020, however, this share increased by 0.5 percentage points (pp) to 27.1%, Eurostat notes. In Cyprus this rate rose from 24.0% to 24.2%.
People outside the labour force, meaning persons being neither employed nor unemployed, are not available or searching for work for a variety of reasons, for example, because they are enrolled in education, caring for a family member, retired or because of illness or disability.
While the share of women and men outside the labour force shows a general downward trend during the 2002-2019 period, there was an upward turn in 2020 compared to 2019 f
Source: Cyprus News Agency