Greece recorded 55 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday in the highest number of cases in a single day. Most of the infections were in the prefectures of Rodopi and Xanthi in Thrace, northeastern Greece.
Echinos and Agiasma, two communities in these areas, have already been placed in lockdown. Two people from the village of Echinos, Xanthi, died in the area, raising Greece’s COVID-19 death toll to 187.
Greece’s health authorities are concerned about the resurgence of the pandemic in Thrace.
In Chania, Crete, a young Swede working in the area, also tested positive to COVID-19. The 21-year-old is working for a telecommunications company based in Sweden.
Greece’s sex industry
Sex workers in Greece are concerned that regulations which came into effect on 15 June, 2020, will harm their business.
The new health guidelines, aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19, require the sex workers to track names and contact numbers of all their clients. Anna Kouroupou, head of the Red Umbrella support group, said that the loss of anonymity for patrons will harm business whereas other guidelines concerning the use of masks and setting up of orderly lines at brothels have also been criticised by sex workers. “They almost break down the door in their hurry to get in because they are embarrassed to be seen,” she told Reuters.
Those currently working in Greece’s sex industry are concerned that the new guidelines may cause sex workers to go underground and could also place a strain on establishments which are currently offering.
READ MORE: Sex worker’s open letter to Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Sex workers received no benefits during Greece’s strict lockdown and are eager to get back to work.
