Updates from Cyprus
Health Ministry on Thursday issued clarifications as regards the new measures taken by the Cabinet in an attempt to curb COVID spread, following the constant increase in cases the last weeks.
The Ministry notes that all teachers, students and staff of public and private primary and high schools need to show a 48 hour negative rapid test on their return to class next Monday. Children aged 6 and under are exempted from this rule.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Police fined the owners and/or managers of 7 establishments and 27 citizens in a total of 2,497 checks the last 24 hours for COVID violations.
In Nicosia, in a total of 664 checks, 4 establishments and 5 people were fined. A bar owner was fined with a 500 fine for working without a safepass.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Vaccination centers which will accommodate only children aged 5-11 will operate at Spyros Kyprianou sports center in Limassol and at the office of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Communities in Trimiklini village, on January 8 and 15.
A press release says that on January 8th between 08:00 – 14:00, the Spyros Kyprianou will accommodate kids. It will operate as a walk in and by appointment.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
In the last 14 days (21 December 2021 – 3 January 2022) 28,414 COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed, according to Cyprus National Surveillance Report issued on Friday.
The 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate is 3199.8 per 100,000 population. The median age was 28 years. Sex information was available for 25,855 (91%) cases, of which 52.3% were females, and 47.7% males.
By place of exposure, information was available for 27,850 (98%) cases, of which 3.6% were imported and 96.4% were locally-acquired.
Until January 3rd , 2022, 172,928 cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed of which 647 died due to COVID-19 (case fatality risk: 0.4%).
Until January 4th , 2022, 218 people were still hospitalized (currently notified and among those diagnosed till January 3rd).
Source: Cyprus News Agency
The fifth wave of the Covid pandemic fuelled by the Omicron variant is estimated to peak by the second or third week of January, Maria Koliou Assistant Professor of Paediatrics and Virology and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Covid, told CNA on Friday.
Koliou also noted that there’s a high possibility for the Cyprus health system to be put under more strain due to the Omicron variant’s higher transmission rate.
“We estimate that the (fifth) wave will peak by the second or third week of January followed by a decline in the very high daily cases,” Koliou said.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
Cyprus health authorities on Friday announced 5,244 new Covid cases, bringing the total number of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic to 197,401 while deaths remained at 650 as no fatalities were recorded for a second consecutive day.
Furthermore, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health, total hospitalisaions declined to 230 from 235 yesterday, while 81 are treated in serious conditions in ICUs and ACUs, compared with 73 yesterday.
A total of 139,334 tests were carried out today, with the daily positivity rate amounting to 3.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
A technical crew has been sent to Assia`s Panayia church to assess the damage following the recent overflow of Gialias river and to organise as soon as possible restoration, the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage has said.
In a press release, the Committee also notes that a hydrological and geotechnical study it funded showed that dealing with the river overflow would necessitate large scale works on the river bank and on private properties of a huge cost which would also not fall within its mandate.
The Committee recalls that it has already implemented in two phases conservation works in order to prevent the 15th century church from collapsing with a cost of €407,374.
Source: Cyprus News Agency
We should not forget that Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Alliance, but that also means that it needs to respect the principles of international law, was the answer of a French government source when asked by CNA to comment on where the country fits into the process of identifying threats to Europe in the context of developing the EU’s Strategic Compass.
The government source, who was briefing journalists in the margins of the events concerning the beginning of the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, noted that the question of who is a threat is subjective, and pointed to the approach taken in the current draft of the Strategic Compass which analyses the geopolitical situation.
In particular on Turkey, the same source noted that we should not forget that the country is a member of NATO, and by extension an ally of France and most EU membe
Source: Cyprus News Agency
? decrease of €722 million or 14.4% was recorded at the end of September 2021 in aggregate Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) compared with the end of June 2021, according to data released Friday by the Central Banks of Cyprus (CBC).
Total loans decreased by €486 million or 1.7% from €28,388 million at end-June 2021 to €27,902 million at the end of September 2021. As a result, a decrease in the ratio of NPLs to total loans was recorded from 17.6% at end-June 2021 to 15.4% at the end of September 2021. The coverage ratio stood at 4.7% at end-September 2021 compared with 46.8% at the end of June 2021. It must be noted that during the period between 31.12.2014-30.09.2021, there has been an overall reduction in NPLs of €23 billion or 84.3%.
According to CBC, the downward trend in NPLs exhibited in the third quarter of 2021 can be attributed, by order of significance, t
Source: Cyprus News Agency