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Greece’s health authorities on alert as Covid-19 mutation cases rise to 59

Alarm sounded in health services as the number of mutated Covid-19 strains in Greece increased so far to 59. President of National Health Organization (EODY), Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, said on Tuesday the “British variant is the only one that has been identified in the country.”

He added “We must assume that there is a dispersion of the new mutation in our country as well.”

Mutations of the virus were initially detected in Attica and Crete. However, there are now strong indications that three more mutation cases have been detected also in Northern Greece

“At present, only the British mutation has been identified in the country with a total of 59 cases, while there are also some “suspected” cases in Northern Greece,” Akroumaneas said speaking to Skai TV.

“We must assume that there is a dispersion of the new mutation in our country as well,” and that is why a more intense genetic surveillance of dozens of tests has begun, he added.

Based on the data showing that the mutated strain is more contagious, Arkoumaneas expressed his concern about more cases, something that, as he said, comes to add to an already complex equation.

Asked if the new data generated by the mutant strain could lead to a differentiation of measures, Arkoumaneas said that if a large spread is found it will obviously influence some decisions.

Skai TV reported that health experts do not rule out the possibility of a third and stricter lockdown.

The source of contamination for some of the mutated cases are of unknown source.

In its 2 o’ clock news, Skai reported that the mutation strain reached Crete with a charter airline crew member who had returned from a flight to Dubai. 9 of the 10 crew members were tested positive to Covid-19, while two of them were found to carry the virus mutation. One of the crew members lives in Crete, Skai reported, adding that two persons who conducted the mutation are currently hospitalized in Heraklio.

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