New alert in northern Greece on Friday, after at least 29 travellers were tested positive to Covid-19. The travellers, holidaymakers from Bulgaria and Romania entered the country via the Promachonas border-crossing with Bulgaria.
According to Skai TV, a total of 12,000 people from EU countries crossed Promachonas on Thursday and 260 from third countries.
The 29 cases at Promachonas are the results of COVID-19 tests that were conducted on Thursday, July 9, 2020.
The new spike of “imported” cases, rings the alarm bell to authorities and thus at the time when Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is holding an extraordinary meeting with the ministers of Health, Defense, Citizen Protection and the head of Civil protection seeking ways to deal with the infections increase.
- July 9: 50 new cases among them 27 imported
- July 8: 33 – 24 imported
- July 7: 27 – 17 imported
- July 6: 43 – 36 imported (source)
Greece is considering several measures to take the situation under control especially regarding the arrivals via Promachonas, the only land gate open for tourists, as the coronavirus is raging in Balkan countries.
Professor Gkikas Magiorkinis told Skai TV on Friday afternoon that one of the scenarios may halt entry for citizens from Bulgaria and Romania, another is that tourists will have to undergo a test before coming to Greece.
According to media information, the Prime Minister has asked recommendations by the Committee of Infectious Diseases and the Civil Protection.
Another meeting is scheduled for Sunday, when the results of about 50,000 tests carried out on travellers at the country’s entrance gates will be out.
The range of measures currently under examination starts with local lockdowns to the closure of the land borders, increase controls at Promachonas.
There is also consideration to test seasonal workers, especially those from Balkans countries.
