Cyprus brings back face masks a month after scrapping them

[July 06, 2022]  NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus ordered the reintroduction of face masks to combat COVID-19 on Wednesday, just over a month after scrapping the requirement, as infections spiked again.

The requirement to wear a face mask in indoor areas comes into effect on Friday, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela said.

Health experts recommended the step after a spate of infections from people who were not taking the proper precautions, the Cypriot official said after a cabinet meeting.

Cyprus had lifted the mask wearing requirement in most areas on June 1.

Cyprus no longer reports daily infections. It had reported 10,879 new cases of COVID-19 for the week ending July 1, compared with 7,263 in the previous week.

A man wearing a protective face mask walks on a road amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Nicosia, Cyprus December 29, 2021. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou/File Photo

"The situation is under control," Hadjipantela said.

Since the coronavirus was first identified on the island in March 2020, it has recorded 1,075 deaths.

(Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Alison Williams)

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