Health authorities in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, went on high alter when a man was admitted to AHEPA hospital with symptoms similar to those of corona virus. It is the first suspected case of coronavirus in Greece
According to AHEPA director, Panagiotis Panteliadis, the patient is a middle-aged man with symptoms of the virus, had recently visited China.
The patient went to the hospital by himself.
The case has been reportedly confirmed by the Greek Health Ministry.
According to media, the patient is a 63-year-old Greek who had recently traveled to China and in Wuhan, the city where the virus broke out.
The man was admitted to the hospital on Thursday noon, with all procedures to have been immediately activated. AHEPA is one of the 13 hospitals across the country that are designated by the Health Ministry to deal with possible cases of coronavirus.
The patient is currently quarantine in the hospital.
A sample has already been sent to the Pasteur Institute to determine if it is a deadly virus or a simple flu case. Results are expected tomorrow, Friday.
Three Greeks are currently in Wuhan and another locked down city. They are waiting for their evacuation through EU sponsored flights.
Events for the Chinese New Year have been cancelled in Greece.
Authorities reportedly advise people to “isolate” themselves for 14 days if they have returned from China.
According to media, a cargo ship that came from China and Singapore was not allowed to dock at the port of Piraeus due to difficulties of port health authorities to check the ship staff. Dock workers would not allow the ship into the port, media reported.
The Greek Health Council is scheduled to meet on upcoming Monday and decide for measures.
So far, there is no mandatory thermal screening of passengers arriving from China or generally abroad.
Organized tours from China have been halted and authorities have been set on high alert, since last weekend.
Circulars with instructions have been sent to schools for the protections of pupils and students, though.
UPDATE: The Pasteur Institute sasid on Friday morning that the sample tests was “negative” to coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared late on Thursday a “public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of coronavirus.”
🚨BREAKING🚨
"For all of these reasons, I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of #2019nCoV."-@DrTedros
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 30, 2020
The Coronavirus causes respiratory infections which are typically mild including the common cold but rarer forms like SARS and MERS can be lethal. There are no vaccines or antiviral drugs that are approved for prevention or treatment.
