NICOSIA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus' Health Ministry has expanded the list of countries from where travelers are allowed to enter the eastern Mediterranean island as the coronavirus pandemic restrictions are being eased and the country's airports are reopened.
"Category A" in the list now includes 18 countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Travelers arriving in Cyprus before June 20 from these countries must present a health certificate. After that date they will be allowed to enter the country without restrictions.
The countries listed in "Category B" are Israel, Poland and Romania. Travelers from these three countries are required to present a negative COVID-19 certificate upon arrival.
The countries in "Category C," from where travelers are still not allowed to enter Cyprus, are Belgium, Ireland, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In these countries, the risk of infection is assessed to be the highest, the Health Ministry said.
The ministry explained that the current categorization of the countries of origin is subject to change as the pandemic evolves and the epidemiological data change.
The ministry said its categorization is based on the listed countries' main epidemiological indicators, such as the actual coronavirus reproduction number; the number of new diagnoses and of laboratory tests; the mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants; the estimated coronavirus prevalence; and the classification by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In another move aimed at boosting Cyprus' air connectivity, the government on Wednesday approved an incentive scheme worth 6.3 million euros (7.15 million U.S. dollars).
Transport, Communications and Works Minister Yiannis Karousos said the scheme will apply for up to six months. Enditem
