TRNC shuts border amid coronavirus outbreak

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) closed borders to stem the spread of the virus known as COVID-19, its foreign minister said Thursday.

“Entries to our country will be closed to anyone but our citizens as of 14:00 [local time],” Kudret Ozarsay said onTwitter.

Transportation Minister Tolga Atakan said borders will be closed until April 1, and TRNC citizens abroad will be able to enter the country but will be quarantined for 14 days.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Europe the new epicenter of coronavirus, which first emerged in Wuhan, China last December.

The virus has now spread to 164 countries and territories, WHO data shows.

Out of nearly 223,000 confirmed cases, the death toll now exceeds 9,100, while more than 84,000 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.