COVID19: Outbreak at Cyprus handball club

A COVID-19 cluster of 20 cases at topflight Anorthosis Famagusta handball team involving players and staff has been detected.

Anorthosis was identified by local media. It is currently participating in the European Handball Federation European Cup, the equivalent of the Champions League in football.

Without naming the team, Health Ministry spokesperson Margarita Kyriacou told ANT1 TV on Wednesday: “It is evident the team’s players and staff did not respect the measures in place against Covid-19 and that nobody supervised the situation”.

“What happened at the handball team is of great concern to the Health Ministry, which is now more hesitant in easing restrictions for sporting activities.

“A similar cluster reminds us of what happened a few months ago at football clubs,” Kyriacou added.

She was referring to clusters with more than 40 cases found in just two Larnaca-based first division clubs, Ethnikos Achnas and Nea Salamina.

The sheer volume of cases found last October, prompted the Cyprus Football Association to consider suspending the league.

Anorthosis Famagusta is scheduled to play Romania’s CS Minaur Baia Mare on 20 March for the final eight of the EHF European Cup.