COVID19: Turkish Cypriot cases drop to just one

Following a record number of 19 daily COVID cases reported on Wednesday, authorities in the Turkish occupied north of Cyprus have reported just one more coronavirus case.

The new case takes the total number of infections on both sides of the Cyprus divide to 1,768 and 24 deaths.

Cases reported in the north now stand at 301 and four deaths since the outbreak in March.

Republic of Cyprus health authorities on Thursday confirmed another 11 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of infections to 1,467 and 20 deaths.

The new coronavirus case in the north was confirmed on Thursday evening by Ali Pilli, head of the Turkish Cypriot health authorities.

According to Pilli, the new case was a local infection.

It was identified after 1,592 tests were carried out on Thursday, comparatively low to the number of tests carried out in previous weeks.

According to data released by the Turkish Cypriot health authorities some 179 coronavirus cases were recorded since 1 July, when the north opened up its ports of entry to travellers.

Health authorities in the north are focussing on people arriving on ferries and by air with passengers arriving mainly from coronavirus-struck Turkey.

Passengers from Turkey are of particular concern as the country has reported a total of 263,998 cases and 6,209 deaths while the average number of daily cases in the first half of August was above 1200, up from an average of 1,000 in July.

Turkey reported some 1,491 cases on Thursday and another 26 deaths.

Before opening up ports of entry, the north had seen a 75-day lull reporting zero cases since 17 April.

The resurgence of the virus begun on the first day the north opened its ports of entry and initially lifting an obligatory quarantine for arrivals from Turkey.