Coronavirus: Bars, restaurants caught violating measures (Updated)

Police on Sunday said they booked restaurants in almost all districts during the past 48 hours for violations of the measures against the spread of coronavirus.

In Nicosia, officers found people dancing in the covered outdoor area of a restaurant that was operating past the closing time. The curfew starts at 11 pm. All restaurants, cafes and bars must close at 10.45 pm at the latest while customers may be served in outdoor spaces only.

In total, four restaurants were booked in the Nicosia district for serving customers in a covered outdoor area and three cafeterias for serving people inside. Another restaurant will be taken in court.

In Limassol, a bar manager was booked for violation of the law on infectious diseases, and the manager of an association club for serving food and drinks to people in a covered outdoor area.

In the Larnaca district, police booked the manager of a beauty salon for not wearing a mask.

Four bar owners will be taken in court in Paphos for a series of violations, while four more businesses (three bars and one restaurant) were booked for not following the measures against the spread of coronavirus.

In the Morphou area, a cafeteria was booked for operating in violation of the measures.

The health ministry defines an outdoor space as any space that has proper and sufficient air flow. Sufficient airflow exists in a space that if the available sides or a part of those (at least two) are open and in a way that does not resemble an enclosed area, it said.

Police said they carried out 23,645 checks in all districts during the past 48 hours and booked 401 people and 20 businesses. Most fines concerned failure to send an SMS before going out, non-use of mask and breaking the 11 pm curfew. Fines were also given to people who exceeded the permitted number of passengers in cars. Not more than three people from different households, including the driver, are allowed in each car.

During the past 24 hours, 233 people and eight businesses were booked.

In Limassol, 97 people were booked and one business while in Nicosia police fined 66 people and three businesses.

Nineteen people were booked in Larnaca, 19 in Paphos and four businesses and 10 people in the Famagusta district.

Twenty-two people were booked during traffic checks.

Police call on people “to demonstrate the appropriate responsibility, discipline, and to comply with the relevant decrees.”