Front Page Headlines
Small ray of light if we do not let ourselves go
Extension of measures until April 30 and Easter at home. Tens of thousands of tests islandwide to trace asymptomatic patients. Support for businesses until November, depending on the economic situation.
- Doctors… with uniforms made from rubbish bags. OKYPY (State health services organisation): There is equipment in hospitals – Three out of 10 patients present no symptoms.
- Reception centres: UNHCR exposes the interior ministry
They fear for ‘secret’ carriers
They will carry out 20,000 tests to discover the coronavirus spread. Concerns over the number of asymptomatic patients. The health ministry is buying nine million respiratory masks for the population.
- They are paying €30,000 and arrive with private jets – In eight days, 21 private jets arrived. From Antalya to Larnaca through Rhodes.
- The allowance for two months is being paid to the enclaved
- Trafficking of migrants and arms by Turkish ships
- Mini real-estate crash with a 33 per cent drop
Mass testing as shield against the coronavirus
The president announced yesterday the extension of the restrictive measures until the end of April and mass tests to trace coronavirus, something the expert epidemiologists had suggested from the beginning but were ignored. It has also been decided to extend the economic measures for businesses and workers until June 12 but also the repatriation of Cypriots based on categories.
- 115 British diaspora Cypriots lost their lives (to coronavirus)
- UNHCR: The reception facilities for refugees are unacceptable
Moves to bring back students
Lockdown extended, no exceptions for Easter.
- Huge increase in testing, those without symptoms a major worry
- Virus patients say they’re made to feel like criminals
Controlled repatriations
The decision has been taken for the gradual repatriation of Cypriots stuck abroad, including students – 16,688 people registered with the foreign ministry’s platform. The restrictive measures are extended until April 30.
- Cases slightly increased yesterday: We had 32 out of 1,256 tested compared with 29 out of 1,353 tests on Tuesday
- Easter without the faithful
- Beautiful people: A young man from Crete becomes bone marrow donor for a young man from Adana
Main News
Race to trace asymptomatic coronavirus patients
Alithia, Cyprus Mail, Haravgi, Phileleftheros, Politis
Internal Security, Human Rights
OVERVIEW
The dailies report that President Nicos Anastasiades announced that all restrictive measures currently in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus will be extended until the end of April while 20,000 tests would be given to people who still do not work from home. Randomised tests will also be carried out to trace asymptomatic patients, which is a concern for the government.
According to the dailies, Anastasiades also announced that the government would gradually repatriate Cypriots and permanent residents but also some categories of students. It was also announced that nine million respiratory masks would be purchased to be distributed to the population. The economic support package for businesses and works will be extended until June.
Cyprus Mail reports that, in an address to the people on Wednesday evening, Anastasiades said he did not want to cultivate optimism but it appeared that the measures put in place were yielding results.
Relaxing them, however, was not an option, as the effects could be catastrophic, he said.
“I want to make clear that we are not permitted any diversion or possible relaxation of measures since such action would lead to an unprecedented reversal with catastrophic consequences,” he said according to the daily.
As regards Easter, he quoted the Ecumenical Patriarch who said “it isn’t faith which is in danger but the faithful.” “I would say that today it’s not the way of life which is danger but our life itself,” he said, the daily reported.
The papers report that 32 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday bringing the total to 526. Among the new cases are seven nurses and one woman working as room assistant at the Nicosia general hospital.
Phileleftheros reports that the government is in a race to trace as many asymptomatic coronavirus patients as possible by carrying out thousands of tests with experts warning of a large number of such patients.
Toward that end, the government will also purchase nine million respiratory masks to distribute to the people as another protection and prevention measure.
As regards repatriations, the government plans on bringing in around 1,000 people every 15 days. Priority will be given to Cypriots belonging in vulnerable groups.
Haravgi reports that the gradual repatriation also of Cypriot students staying in university dormitories has been decided who are either taking foundation courses are at their first year of studies.
The measure also non-Cypriots, concerns permanent residents who are abroad for work and those whose return to the island is deemed necessary for humanitarian reasons.
Alithia reports that Anastasiades sent out an encouraging message that the measures taken are on the right path also saying “a ray of light” has shown but there can be no relaxation of measures at the moment.
He also said this included Easter, since church services will be carried out with the presence of people and there will be no gatherings for the celebration of the Easter customs.
Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said that so far 16,688 Cypriots located in more than 120 countries have registered with the online platform for those wishing to repatriate.
In another article, Phileleftheros reported that wealthy Cypriots who were stuck abroad were able to lease small private jets to return to the island. Some eligible to return to the island were able to do so by leasing jets which cost between €25,000 and €35,000 for an eight-passenger vessel for trips in Europe.
In total 21 private jet flights arrived at the Larnaca airport during the past eight days. Eight of them concerned aircraft for the transfer of patients from various countries. Most days the jets arrived from Athens and Cologne, Germany while arrivals were also recorded to and from Belgrade, Graz, London, Munich, Geneva, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Cairo, Budapest. One flight from Baden Baden arrived in Paphos.
On Monday and Tuesday, a Learjet 45 registered in Germany which was specially equipped to also transport patients, carried out flights through Turkey to Larnaca. The jet departed from Bonn, landed at Antalya, then went to Rhodes and from there it arrived in Larnaca, the paper reports.
Special allowance for the enclaved to buy foodstuff
Phileleftheros
Human Rights, External Security
OVERVIEW
According to the daily, Cabinet on Wednesday gave the green light for an extraordinary allowance to the enclaved living in the Karpasia area for the purchase of foodstuff.
The decision comes after the measures taken by the occupation authorities for the restriction of movement in 15 villages of the area after coronavirus cases detected there which also led to a ban on the transfer of foodstuff from the Republic of Cyprus to the around 300 enclaved living in Rizokarpaso, Ayia Triada and Ayios Andronikos, the paper reported.
The special allowance will be calculated based on the estimated cost of the products usually sent to the enclaved and will be given to them in due time.
On Friday, when the weekly visit by the UN to those areas takes place, the enclaved will receive their monthly allowance for March and April and their pensions. Pharmaceuticals have already been delivered while a nurse posted there for the needs of GCs makes sure he helps whoever needs it, the daily reported.
Greek man becomes bone marrow donor for Turkish patient
Alithia, Phileleftheros
Human Rights, Regional/International Relations
OVERVIEW
The dailies, citing Turkish daily Hurriyet, report that a young man from Crete has agreed to become a bone marrow donor for a young man from Adana.
The transplant will take place between April 22 and 24, the paper reported adding that the announcement was made by representative of the Greek health ministry, Sotiris Tsiodras.
The dailies report that Hurriyet said that while the coronavirus pandemic has paralysed the international community, the problem of closed borders was overcome through a positive development between Greece and Turkey that gave hope to everyone.
Phileleftheros, citing an article by Greek news portal Liberal, also reports that Ankara said the Turkish navy and coast guard will continue to ensure freedom of navigation in the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea. This was a direct threat against Athens’ efforts to prevent the trafficking of arms and migrants by Turkish cargo ships.
The daily reports that any checks of vessels leaving Turkish ports by Greek authorities would prompt the intervention by the Turkish navy to ensure they will execute their mission of transferring either arms of migrants, the daily reported citing Liberal.
The latest incident took place in April 2 when Greek authorities ‘chased’ a Turkish tanker suspected of such activities in international and Greek waters in the area of Samos and Ikaria islands. The vessel was forced to return to a Turkish port.
Athens believes that Turkey is using again the ‘ghost-ship’ tactic, which is the use of mainly small cargo vessels for the transfer of arms to Libya, but also migrants to Italy and the shores of mainland Greece, the paper reported.