Greece registered 126 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, of which 10 were related to individuals entering Greece.
A total of 5,749 cases have been recorded since the start of the outbreak in Greece, and 1,453 of these are linked to travel abroad whereas 2,795 are already registered cases.
Another death brought the total of deaths to 213 since the start of the outbreak.
To ensure that numbers are kept down, the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) – the country’s largest international expo – has been cancelled, border controls have increased, and entertainment venues at popular Greek islands are being shut down overnight in a slew of government measures aimed at stemming a new wave of COVID-19 cases.
Greece’s Alternate Government Spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni said that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will deliver his annual policy speech at TIF before a limited audience on 5 September rather than the TIF which was planned to run from 5-13 September.
More restrictions announced on Monday include the following:
- Travellers to Greece coming from Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden must present a negative coronavirus (PCR) test of up to 72 hours prior to travelling, as of 17 August.
- The same is true of all those entering Greece overland, as of 17 August. This includes Greek citizens and those with Greek residence permits. In addition, the test must have been carried out in the country of origin, not Greece.
- As of 16 August, a maximum of 750 people will be allowed to enter Greece per day through the Kakavia border with Albania.
- Any event in Greece where the audience is required to stand, including concerts and performances, is suspended throughout Greece.
- All establishments that could cause the spread of the virus will be shut down from midnight to 7am every day, specifically in the following areas: The Regions of Crete, East Macedonia, and Thrace; the Regions of Thessaloniki, Chalkidiki peninsula, Larissa and Corfu (including Paxi islands); the islands of Antiparos, Kos, Mykonos, Paros, Rhodes, Santorini, and Zakynthos; and the cities of Katerini and Volos.
READ MORE: 203 COVID-19 cases overnight in Greece, 22 deaths
There may be a further extension of the ban depending on epidemiological data.