Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Friday said there are thorough checks at entry points to the Republic after two persons arriving at the Limassol Marina by boat and who had to self-isolate were caught moving around in public.
The incident occurred on Thursday early afternoon when a guard saw two people who had recently arrived from Israel, which is a category C country, and who were supposed to be in self-isolation on their boat, strolling in the grounds of the marina.
Police said they were charged and are to appear in court at a later stage. They are now back in self-isolation.
“Checks at ports and airports are thorough,” Ioannou said when asked to comment on the incident.
He said that no one arriving at the Limassol marina was allowed to set foot outside their vessels before health ministry officials check all their documents and certificates.
Senior official at the health ministry, Ioanna Gregoriou, told state broadcaster CyBC on Friday that as regards vessels arriving at the marina from category C countries, passengers need to present the special permit they have received from the interior ministry and the crew, the entry permit issued by the deputy ministry of shipping.
She said that health officials at the marina check the test certificates of the people on board the vessels and if they did not get tested, arrangements are made for a private company to go on site and provide tests.
If their tests are negative, they must remain in self-isolation for 14 days since the day they y left a harbour from a category C country. If they left the harbour four days ago, they must self-isolate for the remaining 10, she said.
Gregoriou also said vessels arriving from category C countries are in the quarantine area of the marina which is guarded round the clock.
Only Cypriot nationals and legal residents of Cyprus travelling from category C countries can enter the country and must self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival. People also on special permits are allowed in from these countries.
The two people were among the violations of coronavirus measures caught by police during 24 hours from 7am on Thursday to 7am on Friday.
Premises and individuals in Limassol, Nicosia, Larnaca and Paphos were booked for violating measures.
According to a police spokesman, 16 were booked in Limassol.
Customers at three bars and a café did not keep the required distance from each other, in 10 other businesses people were not using masks, while three owners did not display the necessary signage.
Nine premises were fined €500 and one €750.
Seven people at premises in Nicosia did not wear masks. One was fined €500 and the other six €300.
In Larnaca a cafeteria was slapped with a fine of €1,000, again for a violation of mask usage, in Paphos two were fined €500 each for the same reason, and in the Famagusta district one establishment was ordered to pay €300.
