Turkish Cypriot authorities on Thursday have reintroduced the mandatory use of face masks in indoor spaces to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The new rule, effective immediately, concerns places such as hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and, “areas with high volumes of people”.

People with symptoms associated with the coronavirus have also been urged to wear face masks everywhere and get tested as soon and as often as possible.

The north reported 859 new cases for the week June 15-21 after 10,883 tests.

The total number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic numbered 96,505 leading to 238 deaths.