Greece’s new cases of COVID-19 soared to 865 on Wednesday setting a new negative record, following 667 cases on Tuesday.

The National Public Health Organisation (EODY) said that of the 865 cases, 82 were linked to known clusters and 44 were identified at entry points to Greece. The confirmed pandemic cases in Greece total 27,334 since late February, with 3,672 of these related to travel abroad and 10,802 to already confirmed cases.

In addition, 86 patients remain intubated in hospitals. Their median age is 66 years, 91.9 percent have an underlying condition or are aged 70 or above, and 28 of them are women. Since the start of the pandemic in Greece, 265 patients have been discharged from ICUs.

EODY also announced 6 deaths, bringing Greece’s total to 534. Of the total, their median age was 79 years, 96.3 pct had an underlying condition and/or age 70 years or above, and 201 were women.

From 14–21 October, the daily cases of intubated patients has remained within the 80s range (81-87), while deaths ranged between 7 and 13 for the same period.

In terms of new daily infections, the numbers are as follows: 436 (14 October), 453 (15 October), 508 (16 October), 482 (17 October), 438 (18 October), 667 (20 October) and 865 (Wednesday).

READ MORE: Greece hits negative record with 667 new COVID-19 cases

Kastoria on high alert

The region of Kastoria, NW Greece will be placed under Level 4 alert as of 06:00 on Friday, said Deputy Minister for Civil Protection & Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias on Wednesday.

The Ioannina region will remain at Level 3 alert, while the regions of Thessaloniki, Boeotia, Larissa and Serres will be placed under a higher Level 3 alert. Concerning Ioannina, the situation there will be re-evaluated on Saturday, he added.

The minister visited the region for meetings with local officials. Earlier, he had earlier pointed out that the 113 coronavirus infections in the city show an “aggressive spike”, noting that the median age of infected individuals is 37 years. The situation there is critical and needs to be dealt with immediately, he noted.
With Thessaloniki jointly commemorating its patron saint Aghios Dimitrios and the city’s liberation from Ottoman rule on 26-27 October, celebrations there will be radically affected, bearing in mind that Level 3 alert allows only a maximum of nine people to gather at any one time, anywhere, outdoors or indoors.

Mr Hardalias stressed that Wednesday saw another record-breaking number of new infections in Greece (865), but also resulted in a record number of diagnostic tests performed in a single day (24,116), but insisted that coronavirus’ dispersal rate suggests the situation is “extremely critical.”

Concluding, the minister underlined that the collective effort to contain the coronavirus over the last few months “should not go amiss by letting down one’s guard,” and urged all citizens to observe protective measures diligently.

In the geographical distribution breakdown of Wednesday’s new cases total, concentrations went up to a first-time 331 in Attica Region and to 181 in Thessaloniki Region. The higher confirmed cases for Wednesday are accounted for by rises in other regions, such as Ioannina (32), Kozani (27), Larissa (23) and Serres (19). Another 41 cases are being traced.

The government’s new online map of health safety and protection from the novel coronavirus (available through covid19.gov.gr), includes information on infection cases per area and the measures in effect at that area. The measures are based on a system of four levels of intensity: 1. preparedness, 2. monitoring, 3. increased monitoring, and 4. increased threat.