President Ersin Tatar has called upon the public to continue their caution and adherence to the measures aimed at combating Covid-19.

The President made the call in a written statement which marked the first anniversary of when Covid-19 was first detected. 

The first case was identified in TRNC almost at the same time as the pandemic declaration by the World Health Organisation of the new type of coronavirus that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.  

In TRNC, we have been living with Covid-19 for a full year. With the first positive test of a German tourist on March 10, 2020, the TRNC government, which was closely observing the development, imposed a lockdown with a series of decisions and measures taking the health infrastructure and public health of the TRNC to the fore. 


The process of March 10, 2020 – July 15,2020, which can be called as the first wave in our country, was managed with the decisions of the Council of Ministers with the recommendations taken by working with the Prime Ministry Scientific Committee, the Covid-19 Coordination Council, the Medical Association, the Association of Self-Employed Physicians, the Private Hospitals Association, University Hospitals and all relevant stakeholders.  


During his office time as the Prime Minister, attempts were made to strengthen the health infrastructure and provide an emergency hospital in the country whilst an application was made to the World Health Organisation at the same time.  


With no new recorded Covid-19 cases since mid-May, the first wave had been overcome in the TRNC.  

The Emergency Hospital, the construction of which took approximately two months, was inaugurated at the 37th anniversary of the proclamation of TRNC on November 15, 2020, with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.  


At the present time, the number of Covid-19 cases worldwide has exceeded 118 million and we are amongst the rare countries where vaccination started with 100,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines which has been given to us by Turkey. The EU have sent 10, 570 doses of vaccine.  


We learnt to live with this process and to revise and structure the measures in accordance with the 'new norm', whilst the position of the TRNC on the world scale was closely monitored and evaluated. 

Although the new variants have made it more challenging for us to combat the virus, we have become more informed and have adapted to learning to live with more caution and conscientiously by adhering to the rules.   


During this one-year period, I would like to thank the Minister of Health of the time, Dr. Ali Pilli and the current Minister of Health, Ünal Üstel, and all our healthcare professionals for their utmost efforts.  


Health is important, but there are also necessities for life to continue. Therefore, it is essential to open up gradually under certain measures, with consideration being given to struggling tradesmen and other sectors, and to provide employment to our people.    We will manage the process confidently in unity and solidarity and we will achieve this together by preserving our hope.