Greek health authorities announced on Thursday an increase of confirmed coronavirus cases with the total number being 117. National Health organization spokesman Sotiris Tsiodras said the new confirmed cases are 18 when compared to a day earlier.
For 10 out of the new 18 cases the source of contraction with the virus has not being identified. For another 15 cases authorities are trying to identify the source.
He added that health authorities have tested more than 680 blood samples in Athens and Thessaloniki in the last 14 hours with the majority of them to be tested negative.
“Patient zero” a woman who had traveled to North Italy and her son are to be discharged from AHEPA hospital in Thessaloniki, the spokesman said.
Tsiodras said that the virus is spreading in the community.
Tsiodras stressed the importance of “individual responsibility” especially aiming to protect vulnerable groups of the society such as elderly and and people suffering from chronic health problems.
He added that Greece is trying to delay the spread of the virus so that it will not coincide with the seasonal flu.
He announced new measures to protect the community. Cinemas, theaters, entertainment centers, gyms and court rooms (with some exceptions) are shut down. Excempted so far, are restaurants and cafeterias, media report.
“We cannot close schools and have such places open,” Tsiodras added.
Preparing for the worse, Health Minister Vasilis Kikilias appealed to doctors and nurses to join the public health system initially with a 2-year contract and then permanent.
Among the new confirmed cases are an employee at the state broadcaster ERT TV, a worker at Kathimerini online edition and a parent on the island of Crete who had traveled to Athens on a school trip of the child.
Tested negative on coronavirus is the crew member of passenger ferry “Blue Star Mykonos” that was set in quarantine in the port of the island of Limnos in the Aegean Sea. The ferry was given the green light to continue its journey Thursday afternoon.
So far, Greece has one death due to coronavirus.
More on coronavirus in Greece here.
