The cabinet will meet on Thursday to discuss the possible easing of the lockdown amid mounting speculation on what will change given the generally improved epidemiological situation although higher rates continues to be seen in Limassol.

A day earlier, party leaders will attend a meeting at the Presidential Palace where they will be briefed on the coronavirus outbreak, government spokesman Kyriakos Koushos told CyBC radio on Monday.

The spokesman said that the Council of Ministers will evaluate the situation on Thursday and if stabilisation continues, “some relaxations” of the restrictions will be decided. He did not elaborate although all indications are that the transition will be slow.

The decree with the current restrictions, including the sms system, expires on February 28, and the health ministry and scientific advisors have repeatedly warned that the easing of the measures will be gradual.

There has been improvement both in the number of cases – stable around the 100-120 mark – over the past several days, and in the number of hospitalisations, which have remained below 100.

And the mass rapid antigen testing with more than 200,000 tests a week, has enabled authorities to keep a close tab on the situation.

However, experts are still grappling with the outbreak in Limassol where according to the latest figures, the positivity rate is at 390.7 per 100,000, in stark contrast to other districts such as Famagusta’s 45 per 100,000.

Overall, Cyprus’ positivity rate is 164.3 per 100,000, just over the safe criteria of the European Centre for Disease Prevention (ECDC) of 150 per 100,000.

“The issue remains in Limassol which therefore keeps the cumulative impact for the whole country at unsafe levels,” the health ministry said in its weekly national report last Friday.

Were it not for Limassol, the epidemiological picture for the rest of Cyprus would be much better and the island could be deemed “green” which would contribute decisively to the quicker lifting of more restrictive measures, it had added.

Although carnival festivities have been put on ice, experts are understood to be wary of opening the restaurant sector before Green Monday on March 15, which signals the start of lent, fearing lack of discipline as people are allowed to gather.

An extra two weeks will also give more time for vaccinations, which are due to be stepped up next month as more supplies are shipped to Cyprus.

With the return of primary school and third year lyceum pupils to school a fortnight ago, the government is under pressure to allow the remaining school population back to in-person teaching.

Some reports gave suggested that this will be carried out in two stages, starting on March 1 for lyceum students and March 15 for those in gymnasium.

The same reports suggest that the sms system will remain in force for a few more weeks, with the possible increase in the number of movements by exception from the current two to three.