DESPERATE MEASURES

Cyprus Vows to Pay All Costs for Tourists Who Contract Virus There

Cyprus is pledging to pay for the costs of accommodation, medicine, and food for coronavirus patients and their families if they contract the virus on the island.

Cyprus has vowed to cover all costs for anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus while vacationing on the island, only excluding “airport transfer and repatriation flight,” according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The government said it would cover all costs for accommodation, medical bills, and food for coronavirus patients and their families. The country is reportedly expected to lose 70 percent of its revenue from tourism this year. “The hit is massive, and we are trying to do our best now and do what we can for the remainder of the season,” said Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios. “We have worked extremely hard to keep the virus in check here.” The government said it will provide a 100-bed hospital for foreign coronavirus patients, as well as 112 intensive care units with 200 respirators. Cyprus has confirmed 939 coronavirus infections and 17 deaths as of Wednesday, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.