European holiday hotspot brings strict Covid rules BACK due to soaring cases

A POPULAR holiday hotspot has reintroduced face masks due to soaring Covid cases.

Brits heading to Cyprus will need to wear face-coverings at indoor venues again.

The Foreign Office website states: “As of 8 July 2022, the use of a face mask is compulsory in all indoor venues and on all public transport for everyone aged 12 and above.

Brits who break the rules risk a €300 fine.

The Ministry of Health confirmed they were being reintroduced as the current Covid situation requires the “revision of the protective measures, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus and safeguard public health”.

The Covid situation in Cyprus has escalated in recent weeks, with data from the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health confirming a 13 per cent positivity rate from June 25 to July 5, with 19,503 cases.

The country lifted its Covid rules back in April, which no longer required Brits to take tests if unvaccinated.

But experts have warned that spiralling cases mean countries abroad may be forced to bring back some of the strict rules which includes face masks, tests and Covid passes.

It’s not just Cyprus seeing soaring cases – France, Spain, Greece and Portugal are among the nations with the highest incidence rates.

The World Health Organisation has said BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants are driving the new wave, although the new stran is more mild.

In its weekly report, published last Wednesday, the WHO said cases in Europe had risen by 33 per cent in one week, the second highest after Eastern Mediterranean (47 per cent).

Spain reported infections increasing by five times in the space of a week; Italy’s case load grew by 61 per cent and France’s by 37 per cent.

Brits heading to the Canary Islands and the Costa del Sol could be forced to wear masks again if the situation continues to worsen.

Amós García Rojas, a Canary Islands public health official, said he couldn’t rule out demanding mask indoors again “to protect the vulnerable”.

Germany is also considering introducing mandatory face masks due to soaring cases.