COVID19: Cyprus Foreign Minister self-isolating

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Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides is the fourth government minister to be self-isolating after one of his close associates tested positive for coronavirus.

He has since tested negative for COVID-19 but in accordance with health protocols as a close contact of a positive case, Christodoulides has been in self-isolation since Wednesday afternoon.

The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said Christodoulides will undertake two more COVID-19 tests.

The positive case was a member of the Cypriot delegation that travelled to Athens on Tuesday for the trilateral meeting Cyprus, Greece, and Israel Foreign Ministers.

In Athens, Christodoulides met Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and Greece’s Nikos Dendias to discuss issues of energy, security, showcasing the strong strategic alliance between the three countries.

The Minister’s associate tested positive for coronavirus when she undertook the test at the airport upon their return to Cyprus on Tuesday evening.
All those arriving from Greece must provide a COVID-19 negative test, Cypriots have the option of being tested at the airport for €60.

Christodoulides and two other members of the delegation who travelled with the woman are also in mandatory 14-day self-isolation.

He is the fourth Cypriot minister to go into self-isolation this week, after the Transport, Defence and Shipping ministers went into quarantine after a close contact tested positive.

All four have tested negative for the virus during a month where Cyprus has reported 55% of all its COVID cases since the outbreak in March.