Covid-19: Hospitals on Alert in Greece as Intubations Reach 406 Monday

Health officials in Greece are concerned about the strain on the nation’s hospitals after the number of intubated patients with Covid-19 reached 406 on Monday, 15 more than those recorded on Sunday.

This is the first time since early January that intubations in the country have surpassed 400, indicating increased pressure on Greek hospitals as cases continue to rise and more patients require the intensive and invasive treatment.

Additionally, a total of 1,176 new cases were recorded in Greece on Monday. While Monday’s cases are 93 fewer than those diagnosed in the country on Sunday, nearly 10,000 fewer Covid-19 tests were conducted in Greece on Monday than the amount conducted the day before.

A total of 17,936 people were tested for the coronavirus on Monday, and the positivity rate was 6.56%. On Sunday, a 26,330 tests for the virus were conducted in Greece, and the rate of positive results was just 4.82.

These figures provide a worrying view of the current epidemiological situation in the Mediterranean country.

Tragically, 30 people with the coronavirus passed away in the country over the past 24-hour period, which is six fewer than those who died with the virus on Sunday.

Greek PM signals easing of lockdown in two weeks

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis indicated on Friday that the national lockdown will be eased in two weeks, if Greeks continue to follow the country’s strict anti-virus measures.

The lockdown in Greece, imposed to help stem the spread of the coronavirus across the country, will gradually ease in two weeks, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis signaled on Monday.

In a video conference concerning the donation of 18 mobile ICUs to the public sector from the Greece 2021 Committee, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday noted that the end of the coronavirus crisis was now in sight.

He added however, that “how quickly we reach it depends on taking careful steps in the final straight.”

Mitsotakis stressed that it was essential to make one final effort, especially in the next two weeks, before the economy and education can return to more normal rhythms.

While acknowledging that the health system was under pressure, especially in Attica, he appeared confident that this was being handled well.

553 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Attica alone

Of the 1,176 coronavirus cases recorded in Greece in the past 24 hours, 553 were located in Attica alone, home to the city of Athens.

Instances of the virus were particularly high in the city itself, where 159 cases of Covid-19 were identified. In Piraeus, the port of Athens, 92 cases of the virus were diagnosed on Monday.

Tests showed that in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, a total of 111 cases of Covid-19 were identified in the last 24 hours.

Total 192,270 coronavirus cases in Greece since the start of the pandemic

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total 192,270 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the country, including all those who have recovered from the virus.

Of the cases diagnosed in Greece in the past seven days, just 45 are associated with foreign travel and 2,443 have been linked to contact with a known case.

Of the 406 patients intubated currently, 85% are over the age of 70 or suffer from preexisting conditions.

Additionally, a total of 1,347 patients have been discharged from ICUs around the country since the beginning of the pandemic.

The 30 new deaths recorded on Monday bring the total number of fatalities in the country to 6,534, and 95.7% of those who have passed away with the virus were over the age of 70 or suffered from underlying health issues.