Epidemiologists are watching with alarm the development of events in Mykonos in connection with the new outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in five regions of the country: Attica, Crete, Epirus, Ios and Paros. At the same time, it is noted that there are first signs that the Greek health care system has begun to experience an overload again.
It is clear that Greece is at the mercy of the Delta strain, which has been identified in 47 of the country’s 74 regions. The numbers are shocking: eight out of ten infections in Crete, 25% in Attica, 50% in Epirus, 33% in the Ionian Islands and 22.62% of cases in the Peloponnese are due to the Delta mutation.
Hospitals are giving the first signals that wards are beginning to fill with a new pandemic outbreak, with an increase in the number of patients, mostly young people. Under the microscope of scientists, there are tourist areas – the number of cases is increasing, and quarantine hotels are filling up.
The government is sounding the alarm as the country needs to build an immunity wall by August to stem the fourth wave of the pandemic.
It is significant that the Minister of Health Vasilis Kikilias yesterday, on Tuesday 20 July, visited a Roma settlement in Spata (Attica) and called on residents to get vaccinated.
In addition, a platform was opened yesterday for applying for vaccination “at home”, as well as for obtaining a prepaid card (freedom-pass) for 150 euros for young people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Mini-blocking scripts
The mini-lockdown introduced in Mykonos has alarmed the municipal authorities and other islands, which are in danger of being in the “red zone”.
The epidemiological picture of specific tourist destinations is disappointing, as not only is there no improvement, but on the contrary, there is an increase in cases, according to EODY data. Some stabilization has been noted in Mykonos in recent days, with government reports indicating that the measures could be lifted on Monday 26 July. But this does not apply to the epidemiological picture of other islands.
The Delta strain is extremely contagious, with the number of infections doubling. 153 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Heraklion, 94 in Rethymno, 34 in Paros, 58 in Santorini and 37 in Mykonos.
Expert assessment
A recent expert assessment of the pandemic situation in the summer months says 3,500 cases at the end of the month and a further increase in August.
Demosthenes Sarijannis, professor of environmental engineering at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, told ANT1 that there is an upward trend and reported 3,500 cases at the end of the month.
On Tuesday July 20, the number of cases exceeded the forecast: EODY registered 3,656 cases of infection (mainly with the Delta mutation).
Mr Sarijannis said it is important to conduct rapid tests in areas of Greece where there is a strong upward trend, and noted that “the measures in Mykonos may expire next week if we take the situation seriously and responsibly.”
Nikos Tsanakis has also spoken in the past few days about two scenarios regarding August. The baseline “shows” 4,500 new cases of coronavirus per day, while the “bad” one shows over 6,000 cases.
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