Front Page Headlines
Anything could happen at any time
1538 tests in the south, no new cases, 1280 tests in the north, one new case. The total number of cases in the north reached 5. A claim was made that some passengers were allowed to leave the airport without being taken into quarantine right after their PCR tests were carried out. One passenger who was picked up by an ambulance and taken to hospital after being told he had tested positive was later released after it emerged the health crew had picked up the wrong person. The actual individual was tested positive was brought to the hospital later on.
- The Prime Minister’s Office: “Tourists will wait for their PCR tests in their hotels” –The decision was changed again. Tourists will now be waiting for their PCR tests at the hotels where they have reservations rather than at quarantine hotels.
- “We have three days of kits left” – A shortage is being experienced in PCR testing kits. Health Minister Ali Pilli who spoke to Yenidüzen said that the government needed to authorise the purchase of new kits.
- Private jet flights suspended –All private jet flights to Ercan (Tymbou) have been suspended until July 6. Passengers picked up by private vehicles at Ercan caused a crisis.
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Total chaos
Problems started to surface one after another following allowing arrivals to the north from abroad. When the passengers failed to comply with the rule to self-isolate, the quarantine requirement was re-introduced but this time the passengers were made to suffer after having to wait at hotels which were full until their test results came back Moreover, I was reported that health workers picked up the wrong person from a quarantined hotel believed to be positive. One more positive case was identified on Friday. A person from Kazakhstan was admitted for treatment after testing positive.
- She was taking a bag full of money to the south – Belgin Samuray was caught trying to take €50,000 and ₺22,500 (€2,915) to the south.
- Quarantine is a must, PCR tests not enough – Presidential Health Board warned.
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Final decision
Tourists arriving in Cyprus will remain at the hotels they will be staying in until their test results are announced. The Turkish Cypriot Hoteliers Association welcomed the government’s latest decision, stating that it was the right step both in terms of protecting the public’s health as well as helping tourism in the country recover.
- Good night TRNC – While South Cyprus has decided to allow tourists from the UK as of August 1, the British government has lifted the quarantine requirement for Turkish tourists.
- A strange situation – Belgin Samuray was caught after trying to cross over to the south with €50,000 and ₺22,500 (€2,915) which she had brought over from the south 11 days ago in a suitcase.
Four cases now
New cases of coronavirus are being confirmed in the north every day whereas there are no new cases in the south. Turkish Cypriot health minister Ali Pill said 1280 tests were conducted yesterday (Friday) and said that one person had tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total tall of active cases to four. He said the positive case was a passenger from Kazakhstan, which is in the C category list of countries.
- Presidential Health Advisory Board posed questions to the government.
- Supposedly to wait under full isolation – The tourists will wait for the outcome of their PCR tests in their hotels, which they have book reservations. The tourists will be strictly monitored without being in contact with anyone at the hotel.
- They took the wrong person to the hospital.
Main News
The north struggles contain the virus, continues to change decisions
Yenidüzen, Kıbrıs Postası, Kıbrıs, Havadis, Diyalog, Avrupa
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
One new coronavirus case was identified in the north on Friday, bringing the total tally of cases to 112. There are now four active cases in the north.
Announcing the news, Turkish Cypriot health minister Ali Pilli said 1280 tests were conducted on Friday.
“The latest case is a passenger from Kazakhstan, which falls in category C of the list of countries,” Pilli said, adding that the patient had been admitted Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu hospital for treatment.
In the meantime, the Health Advisory Board established under the auspices of the President Mustafa Akıncı’s office on Friday claimed that the system of double PCR tests at entry points was not an adequate method to contain the virus.
The health advisory team, referring to a latest international publication, warned that authorities must impose quarantine for arrivals in addition to PCR testing
“According to the research results, the PCR tests will be 100 per cent negative on the first day of being infected with the virus; 67.5 per cent on the fourth day and 53 per cent on the fifth day. Therefore quarantine requirement is necessary,” the Board stressed.
The Board also urged the health authorities to increase the number of daily testing capacity from 300 to 1500.
In a statement issued by Akıncı’s office, the board also urged the authorities in the north to strengthen the medical team carrying out the tests.
It also posed several questions to the council of ministers for further clarification.
“Will those passengers, who test positive in their PCR tests, be accepted into the north? If so where will they be kept isolated? Who will be paying for their quarantine costs? Will there be PCR tests at the crossing points for tourists, who wish to visit the north? What would be the procedures for Italian, French and Spanish citizens, should they wish to cross to the north following a five-day-long holiday in the south, which they entered by presenting a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 72 hours of their arrival to the south?” the board asked.
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Tufan Erhürman also slammed the authorities for allegedly releasing all the passengers that arrived at the Ercan (Tymbou) airport.
In a social media post on Friday, Erhürman demanded the government to clarify whether or not the passengers have been released without being subjected to any quarantine requirement until their PCR test results came out.
“What do you think you are doing?” Erhürman said in criticism of the government.
Turkish Cypriot Doctors’ Association (KTTB) also urged the health authorities to strengthen the filiation team to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus on Friday.
In a statement issued, the Association emphasised the vitality in establishing a sound contact tracing system to ensure identification of everyone positive cases might have come into contact with.
The association also urged the public to strictly adhere to personal hygiene rules and to exercise social distancing.
“There are two main rules to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. The first one is to have an effective contact tracing system in place and the second one is to have people adhere to personal hygiene rules,” the Association concluded.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar on Friday reassured the public that everyone’s health was the government’s top priority.
During a meeting with National Unity Party (UBP) supporters in İnönü (Sinta), Tatar added the government is now working on finding solutions for the problems encountered in the normalization process.
“Public health is our priority but it must not be forgotten that we must also ensure that the wheels of the economy are turning to be able to fund the health measures,” Tatar concluded.
A strange situation
Kıbrıs, Diyalog
Internal Security
OVERVIEW
Police arrested a woman on Friday as she tried to leave the north with €50,000 and ₺22,500 (€2,915).
The woman told police she had brought the money over from the south on June 22 through the Metehan (Agios Dhometios) crossing point.
She was caught as she was handed over the suitcase from a taxi driver at the Akyar (Strovolia) crossing point.
The woman was lives in the south also has a residence in Kyrenia it emerged.
A court released her on bail pending her trial.