Greece recorded a total of 7,287 cases of Covid-19 on Monday, while 4,108 were recorded in the country yesterday, Sunday.
The record for the highest number of coronavirus cases recorded in one day in Greece was broken on November 9, when 8,623 cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed.
In the past day, a total of 106,357 coronavirus tests have been administered, including both PCR and rapid tests, bringing the positivity rate in Greece to 6.85%.
The average age of those who have tested positive for the virus in Greece is still 38, and the average age of those who have died with the virus is still 78, showing no change over the past several days.
A total of 105 people with the virus passed away in the country on Monday alone; this is 29 more than the 76 people who died with Covid-19 in Greece on Sunday.
Just six of Monday’s cases were identified during routine Covid-19 testing of tourists at the country’s borders.
Currently, there are 608 patients with the coronavirus on ventilators in Greece, which is 18 more than the 590 patients undergoing the invasive treatment in the country on Sunday.
1,711 coronavirus cases in Attica, 1,149 in Thessaloniki
Of the 7,287 new coronavirus cases recorded in Greece in the past 24 hours, 1,711 were located in Attica, home to the Greek capital city of Athens.
A total of 444 cases of Covid-19 were identified in Athens on Monday.
In Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, 1,149 cases of the virus were identified today.
Greek Church says it is unable to check if all who enter have negative Covid test
The Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church released a statement on Monday in response to the Greek government’s new coronavirus measures which stipulate that all who enter churches in the country must be vaccinated or show a negative Covid-19 test.
In a statement, the Holy Synod reaffirmed its commitment to assisting in the “Greek government’s attempt to stop the further spread of the pandemic,” yet noted that it would not be possible to check whether the faithful had vaccination certificates or negative tests before entering each church in the country.
This is despite the fact that the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece called for the testing requirement itself.
The Church states that the inability to check the status of parishioners is due to the fact that those who would be conducting checks would either be members of the clergy or church volunteers, who “do not have the ability…nor public powers (like those of the police)” to check for such documents.
Entry into churches has been a major point of controversy throughout the pandemic.
When Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a set of Covid-19 vaccine measures earlier this month, which stated that those hoping to enter restaurants, bars, cafes, banks, public offices, and stores would have to show proof of vaccination or negative test results, he did not impose any restrictions on entering churches.
Many criticized the move, stating that it was unfair to impose such restrictions on all other enclosed spaces but not churches.
When Mitsotakis announced stricter measures on November 18, which removed the negative test option for entrance into all indoor spaces, he stated that those entering churches who were not vaccinated must show proof of a negative test.
Over 800,000 cases of Covid-19 recorded in Greece
Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 886,207 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the country, including all those who have recovered from the virus.
Of the 608 patients intubated currently, 81.7% are over the age of 70 or suffer from preexisting conditions. Their average age is 65.
The majority of those who are on ventilators in Greece, or 82.73%, are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Additionally, a total of 3,446 patients have been discharged from ICUs around the country since the beginning of the pandemic.
The 105 new deaths recorded on Monday bring the total number of coronavirus-related fatalities in the country to 17,425.
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