Coronavirus Cases in Greece Spiral Out of Control; Lockdown Off the Table

Greece recorded 6,700 cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday — the highest number ever recorded in the country since the start of the pandemic.

The previous record for the highest number of coronavirus cases recorded in one day was broken just yesterday, Monday, when 5,449 cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in Greece.

In the past day, a total of 419,408 coronavirus tests have been administered, including both PCR and rapid tests, bringing the positivity rate in Greece to 1.6%. This figure is down from yesterday’s positivity rate, which was 6.59%.

Tragically, 59 people suffering from the coronavirus passed away in Greece over the past 24-hour period, which is seven more than the 52 deaths recorded in the country on Monday.

The average age of those who tested positive for the virus over the last day in Greece is 39, and the average age of those who have died with the virus is 78.

A total of just 16 of Tuesday’s cases were identified during routine Covid-19 testing of tourists at the country’s borders.

Currently, there are 434 patients with the coronavirus on ventilators in Greece, which is four more than the 430 patients undergoing the invasive treatment in the country on Monday.

New measures for unvaccinated in Greece

Despite two days of record-high coronavirus cases, Greek government representatives assert that there will not be a new lockdown in the country.

Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris announced on Tuesday a series of new anti-coronavirus measures that largely impact those who have not received the vaccine against the coronavirus.

According to the new measures, all workers in both the private and public sectors who have not been vaccinated must conduct two rapid or PCR tests each week and report their results on a government platform.

Additionally, all those who are unvaccinated will have to show the results of a rapid test before entering a variety of spaces, including banks, public offices, and shops, along with open-air dining spaces, including restaurants and bars.

The measure does not include supermarkets and pharmacies and other activities that are considered necessary.

1,329 coronavirus cases in Attica, 1,108 in Thessaloniki

Of the 6,700 new coronavirus cases recorded in Greece in the past 24 hours, 1,329 were located in Attica, home to the Greek capital city of Athens.

In the city of Athens, a total of 438 cases of Covid-19 were identified Tuesday.

In Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece,1,108 cases of the virus were identified on Tuesday.

Over 700,000 cases of coronavirus recorded in Greece

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 754,451 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the country, including all those who have recovered from the virus.

Of the 434 patients intubated currently, 79.5% are over the age of 70 or suffer from preexisting conditions. Their average age is 66.

The majority of those who are on ventilators in Greece, or 85.25%, are unvaccinated against the coronavirus.

Additionally, a total of 3,324 patients have been discharged from ICUs around the country since the beginning of the pandemic.

The 59 new deaths recorded on Tuesday bring the total number of fatalities in the country to 16,050.