Cyprus is facing a state of emergency President Nicos Anastasiades said on Sunday as he effectively announced a lockdown.

The net financial impact of the support package approved by the Council of Ministers on Sunday will bet €450 million, while another €250 million will be aimed at boosting business liquidity over the next two months, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides announced on Sunday.

The Employers and Industrialists Federation (Oev) on Monday morning sought to clarify some of the measures businesses must take after the government issued a slew of restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Hermes, that runs that Larnaca and Paphos airports, announced on Sunday that several flights to Cyprus are being cancelled following the entry ban on tourists in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The total value of building permits issued in 2019 increased by 81.4%, while the total area increased by 49.8%, mainly due to the permits issued in Limassol.

The coronavirus crisis will have a substantial impact on the state’s finances, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said on Thursday, after chairing a meeting that examined support measures for workers affected.

FOUR more persons were on Thursday confirmed as having contracted the Covid-19 virus, raising the total in Cyprus to 10, while the government telegraphed tighter safety measures but also coming financial relief to businesses affected by an expected slowdown in economic activity.

Finance Minister of Cyprus, Constantinos Petrides, said on Wednesday that a financial stimulus package is on its way to help businesses tackle the economic damage caused by the coronavirus, which had a big and negative impact on Cyprus’s tourism and travel sector.

Limassol seems to be winning the cruise tourism bet, as 2019 has seen a significant increase in arrivals at the port, with the prospects for 2020 being particularly encouraging. According to the management company DP World Limassol, 2019 arrivals were 40% more than in 2018.

Vehicle registrations in the first two months of 2020 increased by 5.1% compared to the same period in 2019 (7,842 compared to 7,463), according to Statistical Service data published by CNA.