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| - Cyprus is quarantining 75 arrivals from Britain who missed a coronavirus deadline in mountain hotels left empty by the halt to tourism, officials said Wednesday. The 75, who were unable to provide the required health certificate proving they were virus-free when they landed on Monday, were moved to the hotels after complaining of "unacceptable" conditions where they were first isolated. Cypriot authorities had said they would turn anyone back who did not have the required documentation, but it decided to make an exception for the first arrivals after Monday's deadline, who included 30 Cypriots studying at British universities. Even with proof of a negative test for the coronavirus, everyone entering the island must automatically go into government quarantine for 14 days. Cyprus has confirmed that from Saturday it will ban all passenger flights to the island for 14 days. Hotels have become available as quarantine facilities after the government ordered all tourist establishments to close. Cyprus Hotel Association President Haris Loizides told state broadcaster CyBC that three hotels in the Troodos mountain resort were being used under agreements with the government. "They cannot go down to reception and they cannot go for a walk. They have to understand that quarantine means complete isolation, even with members of a single family," Loizides said. The authorities started moving people to the hotels following complaints that some were being crowded four to a room without access to medical staff or even soap. But some said they were still lacking basic needs in Troodos. "I have been asking for medication since we arrived... but still nothing -- there are still no doctors, we are just confined here," one woman told the Cyprus Mail newspaper. "We have no water and I haven't eaten for two days because they didn't bring enough food for everyone." The Republic of Cyprus has confirmed 49 Covid-19 cases and the breakaway Turkish-Cypriot north of the island another 20, making an island-wide total of 69. cc/kir
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