Greece’s health authorities announced on Friday 14 new confirmed coronavirus cases, rising the number of infections to 45 in the country. Authorities extend emergency measures for the Prefectures of Zakynthos, Achaia and Ilia for another 14 days.
11 of the new 14 patients are pilgrims to the Holy Land (Israel), while the other 3 are people who came in contact with them in Greece.
One of the new infected people is reportedly parent of a child in a school in Dafni suburb of Athens. The school master had already informed parents per sms and e-mails not to send their children to school on Friday, as it would be closed. In a statement Dafni Municipality announced the closed of the daily center for seniors until March 13.
A total of 54 pilgrims visited Israel and Egypt and returned to the country end of February. 37 of them have been found positive to coronavirus. Ten of them are hospitalized in designated hospital Patras. While the majority of the infected have mild symptoms, three are in serious conditions: a 67-year-old man, his wife and the priest who accompanied the group.
Infected is also the bus driver of the group, and according to cnngreece also the four pilgrims from Zakynthos and one air hostess.
The group traveled by bus in Greece and abroad and flew to/from Israel.
The 67-year-old man suffering from severe pneumonia was intubated early Friday.
The pilgrims came from the prefecture of Ilia, West Peloponnese, while four came from the island of Zakynthos.
As the 67-year-old man was not tested on coronavirus immediately after he visited the hospital in Patras (Achaia) on Monday, March 2, several doctors and nurses have been in “house isolation.” There are fear of a wider virus spreading in the region.
Following recommendations of experts, health authorities decided to extend the emergency measures imposed to the prefectures of Achaia, Ilia and Zakynhos for another 14 days. After this time, experts will reaccess the situation and decided accordingly.
In addition, all sports teams from these three prefectures will play games without fans.
All educational trips abroad scheduled from schools through out Greece have been cancelled by decision of the Education Ministry, until further notice.
Some experts advise preventive closure of all levels of educational institutions incl universities across the country.
Meanwhile, another group of Holy Land pilgrims returned to their hometown Eordaia in Central Macedonia. None of the 30 people has any symptoms so far. According to media information, they had a first check (probably temperature screening) at the airport of Thessaloniki. The Municipality is on alert.
In Ioannina, they are reportedly waiting for a group of 51 pilgrims to the Holy Land to return. The daily seniors’ center to which they belong and organized the pilgrimage has already been closed for a week. IT will be disinfected. In a press conference, Mayor Moysis Elisaf said on Friday, that the whole group will be in “house isolation” for 14 days.
It is highly suggested that the pilgrims from Patras were infected during their visit to the Holy Land.
