Cyprus to bar most passenger flights over virus

Airports in Cyprus will block the majority of direct passenger flights arriving on the Mediterranean holiday island starting from Saturday, the health ministry said as it battles the novel coronavirus.

For two weeks starting 3 am Cyprus time (0100 GMT) on Saturday, "flights to Larnaca and Paphos Airports are prohibited" from 28 countries, apart from cargo flights, said Minister of Health Constantinos Ioannou on Tuesday.

The countries listed include the United Kingdom and Greece.

The government said it would charter flights to repatriate Cypriots stranded in the UK and Greece.

The Mediterranean holiday island's toll of registered COVID-19 cases rose by four to 56 on Tuesday -- 49 in the Republic of Cyprus and seven in the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Cyprus is divided between EU member the Republic of Cyprus and the northern third controlled by the TRNC, recognised only by Ankara.