Greek health authorities announced 5,449 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a staggering increase from the previous high of 4,696 recorded on Saturday. The new cases were identified from 82,593 tests, a worrying positivity rate of 6.59%.
The report by the National Organisation for Public Health also reported 52 deaths, for a total of 15,990 since the start of the pandemic. There are also currently 430 patients intubated in Greece’s ICUs.
Giannis Oikonomou, a spokesman for the government, said it was “pressing” to increase the number of vaccinations, which have been moving at a slower pace than authorities anticipated.
“We’re not done with Covid yet. As long as there are unvaccinated people, the virus finds a suitable ground to spread,” Oikonomou told a regular news briefing on Monday.
“We mourn the loss of human lives due to non-vaccination, and this cannot, and should not, continue.”
This news comes after Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, convened an emergency meeting at his office in the Maximos Mansion on Monday amid fears of a new COVID spike.
The meeting was attended by chief epidemiological adviser, Sotiris Tsiodras, as well as Health Minister, Thanos Plevris, and his deputy who is responsible for matters related to the pandemic, Mina Gaga.
Source: Ekathimerini.
