The COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Cyprus was a part of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
The first case in Northern Cyprus was recorded on 10 March, when a local returned home from a trip to Europe. The first death due to COVID-19 in the country occurred on 28 March.
As of 21 April 2021, Northern Cyprus has 5,746 confirmed cases, 4,922 recoveries, 28 deaths, and a death rate of 87 per million people, one of the lowest rates globally.
As of 16 April 2021, Northern Cyprus's observed case-fatality rate stands at 0.52%, the 139th highest rate globally.
Background
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
Timeline
March 2020
The first case of SARS-CoV-2 in Northern Cyprus was identified by the Health Minister Ali Pilli as a female German tourist on 9 March 2020.
On 10 March, people found to have been in contact with the patient, including every passenger on the same plane were quarantined in three different hotels. Starting 11 March, foreign nationals were barred from entering Northern Cyprus, with some exceptions for those holding valid Alien Resident Certificates, diplomatic credentials, or other official documentation and special permits. Restrictions have since been relaxed for the 100,000 foreign university students in the country.
On 12 March, the country's second case was confirmed, being the spouse of the German tourist who became the first person diagnosed with COVID-19.
On 13 March, the Health Minister Ali Pilli announced that five people have been tested positive for the coronavirus, up from two.
On 17 March, the 2020 Northern Cypriot presidential election was delayed for 6 months due to the outbreak.
On 24 March, over 840 German national tourists were sent back to Germany after being quarantined for 14 days.
On 28 March, the first person died from COVID-19.
April 2020
North Cyprus announced a partial curfew until 10 April. The exception being for use of markets and acquisition of necessities. A full curfew is applied between 9pm and 6am until 10 April. Due to increase of cases, curfew states extended by the end of April. There is a suggestion that "curfew may continue until the end of the summer".
15 villages within the İskele/Karpaz district are under full curfew due to high number of cases.
Turkish Cypriot authorities banned movement between districts, meaning no one will be allowed to travel from one district to another.
Three students out of 800 who came from UK and were under self isolated quarantine for 14 days, have tested positive.
There have been no new reported cases of coronavirus infections for the past ten days and the last COVID-19 death in North Cyprus was on 13 April. Early medical intervention has meant 99 of those who tested positive for coronavirus in the TRNC have made a full recovery. As of 27 April, five people remained in hospital.
May 2020
On 11 May, the last coronavirus patient has been discharged from hospital and there are no active cases left.
July 2020
On 1 July, following 76 days of no community transmissions, one such case was reported and the country went back into lockdown.
October 2020
On 17 October, after 188 days with no deaths, the country's fifth death from COVID-19 was reported.
Statistics
Graphs
Overview
Total confirmed cases
Active cases
Recoveries
Deaths
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Daily new cases
Cases per day, 7-day moving average
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Daily tests
Tests per day, 7-day moving average
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Test positivity rate
Test positivity rate, 7-day moving average
Case fatality rate
Case fatality rate
Reaction
On 11 March 2020, North Cypriot Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said in a tweet that flights from Germany, France and Italy to North Cyprus would be suspended until 1 April 2020.
All flights to Northern Cyprus were canceled, as well as all border checkpoints along the Green Line, connecting to the Republic of Cyprus.
On 12 March 2020, the North Cypriot government shut down schools and banned mass gatherings as precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic.
All educational activities from nursery to university degree suspended in-person education. Primary and middle schools transitioned to online classes and completed 2019-2020 semester this way. Northern Cyprus has more than 20 institutions of higher education, 18 of which are universities, with nearly 100,000 international students. All higher education services were suspended and transitioned to online classes.
After 76 days of curfew and quarantine, cases were majorly reduced. After reopening international arrivals soon after, COVID-19 cases increased rapidly. By 11 September 2020, there were 541 cases.