Press Releases

In the context of the continuous evaluation of the epidemiological data by the Advisory Epidemiological Committee of the Ministry of Health and based on the positive conditions registered in Cyprus in recent days, a suggestion was made last week to the Government for the lifting of the compulsory state quarantine for repatriated persons, which was adopted by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 22 May 2020.

This decision was taken in relation also to the fact that, besides the individuals who had been tested positive after being submitted to examination at the point of entry on their arrival, only two cases presented symptoms during the quarantine and were found positive to the virus out of 7,500 persons who have been repatriated so far.

However, taking into consideration the request of several persons to observe the provisions of the Decree that applied at their arrival, as well as the sense of precaution shown by themselves and their families, the Ministry of Health, in consultation with the Ministry of Transport and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, has decided that the persons who arrived in the country in the context of the previous Decree and should today have left  the compulsory quarantine, would be given the choice to stay until the completion of the 14 – day quarantine at the hotels designated by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, if they so wish. In a contrary case, those persons who want to and have the suitable conditions for isolation at home, should remain in house isolation until 14 days have been completed since their arrival in Cyprus.

In regard to those arriving from today until 8 June, such persons shall continue to be submitted to laboratory examination at their arrival and transferred to a hotel designated by the state until the announcement of the result. Thereafter, if the result is a positive one, the said persons shall have the choice either to be transferred for isolation to Eden Resort, Wellness and Rehabilitation Centre, or remain in house-isolation, as provided for every outbreak located through all the procedures and programmes, and be monitored by their Personal Physician. In case the result is a negative one, they shall remain in self-isolation for the period envisaged in accordance with the instructions and the protocols.

Finally, as regards the persons who are considered, on the basis of the protocol, as close contacts of the outbreak through the tracing procedure, they shall remain in quarantine in hotels chosen by the Deputy of Tourism for two days more and submitted anew to a laboratory examination, in order to find out whether they have been infected through the contact they have had with the outbreaks during their repatriation. If their 2^nd examination also proves negative, they shall return home to complete the period of 14 days, following the protocol for self-isolation.  

( DC )