Cyprus imposes night-time curfew to slow spread of COVID-19
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E-mail Xinhua, March 31, 2020
NICOSIA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus imposed a night-time curfew on Monday as part of new stricter measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, following an increase in new confirmed cases.
The curfew, which will take effect on Tuesday, was announced by Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou, who said that in absence of any effective medication it was the only way to control the spread of the disease.
It is the first time a curfew is clamped upon the population in Cyprus during peace time. The last time Cypriots faced an order to stay indoors was during the guerrilla liberation struggle against British colonial rule in the 1950s.
Ioannou said that it will be illegal for anyone to go out between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time (1800 and 0300 GMT+3). Previously, the authorities had found people violate the restrictions on movement at night by visiting relatives or friends.
The authorities were alarmed on Monday when long queues formed outside bank branches and ATMs (automated teller machines) by people who took no precautions as they tried to cash their pension checks or withdraw cash.
Ioannou also banned visits to and gatherings at houses in general, saying that only regular inhabitants can be present in a house at any given time.
The minister further said that people can go out on essential errands only once a day. The penalty for breaking the regulations has been doubled to an on-the-spot fine of 300 euros (331 U.S. dollars).
The government has extended the lockdown, ordering supermarkets, bakeries, butcher's shops and other shops offering essential services to remain closed on Sundays.
Ioannou also announced stricter controls on persons diagnosed with coronavirus who are confined to self-isolation, saying that depending on developments guards may be posted to prevent them from breaking the decree.
The new measures were announced just before the Health Ministry had made public the number of Monday's 16 new COVID-19 cases, down from Sunday's record number of 35, and a new death.
Leondios Kostrikis, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and a member of the government's advisory body on the pandemic, said that the total number of infections reached 230 and fatalities rose to seven following the death of a 77-year-old man with an underlying illness. Enditem
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