Front Page Headlines
Loans with state support
A new package from the finance ministry for liquidity in businesses. Concerns in the job market over the consequences of the pandemic’s economic aspect. The Central Bank is mulling over new interventions to avoid a new recession cycle.
- All health professionals under the orders of the health minister
- Over 500 of those stranded abroad were repatriated
- Lagarde to Politis: Why we give the €750m
The health system has been brought to its knees
We have reached 67 patients, but our biggest problem is the cases in hospitals. Doctors and nurses are calling on the government to remove OKYPY (state health services organisation) from the management (of state hospitals).
- The coronavirus has hit also the migrant waves – A plunge in asylum seeker arrivals in the last few days. Measures have been taken but Turkey also stopped sending people to Tymbou (airport).
- Possible coronavirus medicine also in Cyprus
- Provocations by the Turkish government at Evros
OKYPY is the weakest link… they are stalling
State hospitals are on autopilot with OKYPY unable to cope with the pandemic conditions, nurses say. State doctors too accuse OKYPY of absence and inaction. The health ministry is called to take immediate measures to rectify the current situation in state hospitals.
- Increase in cases, doctors and nurses under the minister’s orders
- AKEL: 350 volunteers to the state’s disposal (to assist in tackling coronavirus crisis)
- 276 repatriated Cypriots in quarantine
Doctors told: you will help
Services of all doctors mustered. Nine new cases. Curfew rumours denied.
- Plans being made to repatriate nationals even after March 21 ban
Stop fake news
Irresponsible spread of rumours have upset Cyprus and caused panic. The government refutes rumours that supermarkets will close and that it will impose curfew (at least for now). Nine new confirmed cases, 67 in total. Extremely critical is the condition of the 70-year-old and stable but critical that of the 47-year-old. The Paphos hospital is ‘out of action’ with four new cases confirmed yesterday, problems at the Limassol hospital. Private sector doctors and nurses as of today they are under the orders of the health minister. Full consensus at the long meeting of the Leaders’ Council. They set the bases for a unanimous approval in parliament of the bills.
- Battle against the coronavirus: Hope from chloroquine – The US approved a medicine which is also used in Cyprus.
Main News
Closure of two state hospitals a blow to efforts to tackle coronavirus crisis
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The government gave reassurances it would not impose a curfew, at least not now, while two state hospitals are temporarily closed after staff and patients tested positive to coronavirus, the dailies report.
According to the papers nine new cases were reported on Thursday, bringing the number to 67. Six of the new cases relate to people coming into contact with a person who had previously tested positive for the disease.
The other three new cases are persons returning from abroad – Bulgaria, Italy and the UK. Of the nine latest cases, one is a nurse at the Paphos hospital, and the other two are patients who were being treated there.
Phileleftheros reports that among the latest is a National Guard officer who contracted the virus from a colleague of his. There are now four cases among national guardsmen, the paper reports.
According to Alithia, the condition of a 70-year-old man who is being treated at the Famagusta hospital is very critical. His condition was due to his other health problems, the daily reported. Two persons diagnosed with coronavirus are expected to be discharged today after their latest tests shown they were negative to the virus. They will however have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Cyprus Mail reports that the government denied it was considering enforcing a ban on the movement of people or a full freeze on the operation of businesses or offices, let alone supermarkets and food stores.
Government spokesman Kyriakos Kousios said in a written statement that under the circumstances as they now stand such drastic measures are unnecessary.
But whereas the spokesman stressed a curfew was off the table for the time being, his particular choice of words suggested the option was not being ruled out altogether, the paper reports, adding that the government mass-texted people on mobile phones asking them to keep their movements outdoors down to an absolute minimum.
The text message from the interior ministry read: “We are at a critical stage. Isolation minimises the spread of Coronavirus. Limit movements to the absolute necessary. Protect high-risk population. Ministry of Interior PIO,” the paper reported.
Alithia reports on fake news and irresponsible spread of rumours on a ban on movement that panicked people who rushed to supermarkets and pharmacies to stock up before they were forced to stay at home.
Phileleftheros reports that the worst scenario has been materialised with the health system brought down to its knees since the coronavirus has hit doctors and nurses, forcing the health minister to requisition the services of all doctors and nurses in order to secure adequate staff when necessary.
The daily also reports that the Limassol and Paphos state hospitals are closed as well as a private hospital in Paphos due to that some of their staff have tested positive to Covid-19.
Phileleftheros and Haravgi report that state doctors and nurses’ unions are furious with their employer, OKYPY, that runs state hospitals accusing the organisation of being unable to handle the crisis and call on the health ministry to take over.
Politis reports that unions said that more than 200 health professionals are now in self-isolation while the Limassol hospital’s general clinic operates with only one doctor. The rest are in self-isolation.
Staff are very concerned after the OKYPY executive in charge of the Limassol and Paphos districts who had been holding meetings within the Limassol hospital, was also tested positive, Politis reports.
Phileleftheros also reports that after it emerged that a drug usually taken by rheumatism patients could contribute to the treatment of coronavirus, there has been over prescription of that drug during the last few days to persons not suffering with rheumatism. This has caused concerns among rheumatism patients that soon, they will not be able to procure it due to shortages. Following increased demand, the Health Insurance Organisation that runs GESY, has removed the drug in question from the GESY lists and has requested from the health minister to issue a decree forbidding doctors not dealing with rheumatism patients to subscribe it.
The dailies also report that around 400 Cypriots have been repatriated on Thursday, mainly from Athens but also from Amsterdam, Malta and Cairo. They were all placed in quarantine for 14 days. At the same time, around 800 foreign nationals flew back to their countries. Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said on Thursday that arrangements are being made to repatriate some 500 Cypriot nationals stranded abroad, including via flights chartered by the government if necessary. He said they could be brought back even beyond Saturday, March 21 – when the ban on all inbound flights comes into force.
Migrant arrivals plummet due to coronavirus restrictions
Phileleftheros
Migration & Citizenship, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The paper reports that the coronavirus has also hit the migrant waves since arrivals have plunged lately. Authorities believe that the decline in arrivals is mainly due to foreign nationals no longer arrive to the illegal airport of Tymbou from Turkey but also the bad weather which discourages boat trips. Those arriving will have to stay for 14 days in quarantine, the daily reports.
Citing information, the paper reports that up to 16 days ago, between 100 and 120 asylum applications were filed daily mainly from persons from African countries, while at the beginning of the week only 20 people went to file for asylum and only five the next day, all from African countries.
The daily also reports that the government is setting up a quarantine area for migrants seeking asylum in an space reserved to operate in the future as a closed reception area for asylum seekers who arrive not from Syria but from other countries where there is no war.