Greece sees highest daily rise in coronavirus cases in weeks

Greece reported 121 new coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour reporting period, of which 12 are from incoming travellers.

Geographical distribution of new cases:

• 5 were identified after checks at the country’s entrance gates
• 7 other important cases (who voluntarily got tested)
• 47 cases in Thessaloniki
• 26 cases in Attica
• 8 cases in Halkidiki
• 8 cases in Larissa
• 7 cases in Corfu
• 2 cases in Imathia
• 2 cases in Serres
• 1 case in Kavala
• 1 case in Arkadia
• 1 case in Achaia
• 1 case in Drama
• 1 case in Evros
• 1 case in Evia
• 1 case in Kozani
• 1 case in Pella
• 1 case in Chio

This raises the total number of cases to 4,855.

1,325 are considered to be related to travel from abroad and 2,403 are related to an already known case.

Sotiris Tsiodras, representative of the Health Ministry on the novel coronavirus, pointed out that Greece's health authorities will continue to implement a strategy of increased checks and inspections to ensure that Greek citizens continue to observe measures diligently.

He insisted that "young people need to understand that although they are rarely severely affected, we only partially understand the full range of long-term manifestations of the virus."

Evidently, the coronavirus "is spreading in the summer just as easily," he said, "and we don't yet have immunity," as less than 1 pct of the population has so far been infected," according to three different antibody studies, he stressed.

Thirteen individuals are in ICU. Their median age is 69 years, while a 69.2% has an underlying health condition or are aged 70 or over.

The country’s pandemic death toll remains at 209.

Meanwhile, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias announced new coronavirus-related measures which include entry restrictions to Greece through the Kakavia border post with Albania, and continued restrictions on large gatherings.

Kakavia border will be shut down every night at 23:00 to the next morning at 07:00 in order to improve daily traffic control, Hardalias said.

People entering Greece from Kakavia in Albania will be obliged as of August 16 to observe a preventative seven-day confinement at home.

He also announced the extension of a ban on more than 100 guests at social events through August, and more frequent inspections of food-processing and packing factories.

"Relaxing vigilance and phenomena of observing measures loosely are the enemy in the battle against the pandemic," Hardalias stressed.

He also observed that "besides the low observation of measures, as a society we also have to fight irrational and conspiracy theories that undermine the social responsibility we must all show," and said that ahead of the major holiday of August 15, all health measures need to be observed.