Monday marked the first day of the partial lifting of coronavirus restrictions in Greece with passenger traffic up by 77 per cent around the country.
Greek Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis announced that despite the new freedoms, people observed social distancing and ensured they adhered to safety guidelines.
There were 457,000 ticket validations on the transport system – nearly double the traffic noted a week earlier on 27 April when 258,000 passengers punched a ticket.
Greek Health Ministry Spokesperson Sotiris Tsiodras said on Tuesday that severe restrictions could be reimposed if there were a significant rise in coronavirus cases with the easing of measures. There were 10 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 noted in Greece in the previous 24 hours however there had been no deaths.
READ MORE: Sydney-born immunologist Sotiris Tsiodras, the ‘voice’ of coronavirus in Greece
Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias condemned some bars and take-away shops which supposedly serve take-out coffee but amp up the volume of their music after 11pm while “serving their clientele so-called take-away drinks as their customers crowd by the dozens outside their stores.” Mr Hardalias said “take away does not include alcoholic drinks. It means you order, you take it, you leave the store.”
The total number of coronavirus infections in Greece stands at 2,642 with 598 cases having caught the virus abroad. The total nuber of deaths in Greece since the start of the outbreak are 146 of which 39 were women and 93.2 per cent of fatalities already had underlying health issues and/or were more than 70 years of age. The average age of those who have died from COVID-19 in Greece stands at 75 years.
READ MORE: Despite a decade of health cuts, coronavirus death rates appear comparatively low in Greece