Front Page Headlines
Private hospitals also in a mess due to virus
Care for patients from other causes also problematic. Order for closure of American Medical Center after six cases. Ten private hospitals were ordered closed and took measures before they operated again.
- Attorney General opinion for changes in constitution: They urgently call for teleconferencing – An amendment to Article 75 would facilitate functioning of the Parliament
- Kokkinotrimithia: NGOs report sad conditions
Also decimates private clinics
10 private hospitals hit by the virus – Only Kyperounta hospital is “clean” out of the state hospitals. Another death yesterday and twenty new cases.
- T/C woman’s property rights to vakif land not registered: “There is an irregular situation due to the occupation” – The decision of the Administrative court was adopted – The appelant is a regular resident of the territories not controlled by the Republic
- Mobile app helps with containment of virus
Liquidity to big (business) from banks
76% of new loans to big business. Crumbs from banks to medium-sized enterprises. Margin of 14.8 billion from deposits – loans.
Cases started dropping
Good news for second day in a row yesterday, shows a progressive reduction of cases. Another death of a 76-year-old that is attributed to his medical history – A total of 13 dead in Cyprus from the pandemic, however 9 are attributed solely to COVID19 – This week is crucial and decisive and will show the size of the problem in Paphos and Aradippou.
- A month of coronavirus: Where the news stopped, before the first case
- Weapon against coronavirus: Mobile app tracks contacts
Main News
Number of new cases decreases but authorities remain cautious
Alithia, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
All newspapers report that the number of new cases has been decreasing, since only 20 new cases were reported on Sunday in comparison to the 30 that had been reported on Saturday (58 had been reported on Wednesday, 36 on Thursday and 40 on Friday).
Government experts told journalists on Sunday that the number of tests conducted has increased over the past few days. 779 tests had been conducted on Wednesday, 603 on Thursday, 668 on Friday, 698 on Saturday and 792 on Sunday.
On Sunday a 76-year-old man with previous medical history passed away, bringing the number of deaths up to 14. 36 people are still being hospitalised in intensive care in the Famagusta General Hospital. 11 people were still intubated in Limassol and Nicosia in stable but critical condition. Four people were released from hospital on Sunday.
According to the experts, the mortaility in Cyprus as compared to the total number of confirmed cases is currently at around 2%. They pointed out however that people should continue being careful and that restrictions should not be lifted. Reports in the dailies consider the extension of the measures to the end of April more than likely.
The dailies also report that three new cases of the coronavirus were detected in the occupied areas, bringing the total number of cases in the north to 91. Newspapers also report on the increase of security measures in the north, including the prohibition of movement between different districts.
NGOs: Inhumane conditions at Kokkinotromithia reception center
Politis
Human Rights, Migration & Citizenship
OVERVIEW
Politis reports that NGOs Cyprus Refugee Council and Caritas have issued a joint press release regarding the conditions in the Kokkinotrimithia migrant Accomodation Center.
The two NGOs point out that the center was created with EU funding to be a registration center where migrants and asylum seekers would remain for 72 hours so that they could undergo medical examinations and registered by the authorites.
However, the reception center has become a detention center in the past month. More than 600 people are held in the center without proper hygiene, which endagers the health of the migrants as well as people working at the center.
The government has also moved to the detention center asylum seekers that had been staying in more humane conditions. Some of these persons belong in groups that are vulnerable to the coronavirus. This practice increases the dangers posed by a possible coronavirus outbreak in the reception center.
The NGOs point out that in other EU countries such as Spain and the EU, all necessary measures were taken to protect all inhabitants in the country regardless of their residency status, in order to protect the entire population.
T/C’s claim to usage of vakif land rejected due to political situation
Phileleftheros
Property, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
Phileleftheros reports on the rejection of an appeal brought to the Supreme Court by a T/C woman, who had asked for the cancellation of a decision by the Administrative Court.
The Administrative Court had rejected the woman’s claim against a Land Registry decision which had refused to register two immovable properties to her name. The properties in question are vakifs, which means they are owned by the religious administration of the T/C community, Evkaf.
The Supreme Court admits that under normal circumstances the woman would have been able to claim the usage of Evkaf properties. However, the court adds, in light of legal precedent and the political situation, she cannot do so while the irregular situation caused in Cyprus after the invasion and the occupation continues.
The woman, who now lives in the occupied areas, had attempted to be registered as the user of properties in Agios Andreas in Nicosia. The properties belonged to her grandfather, and had belonged to Evkaf since 1918.