Greece Imposes Strict Lockdown in Sparta, Argolida

Greece imposed a strict lockdown in the regions of Sparta and Argolida in the Peloponnese on Wednesday due to the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases.
A total of 671 Covid-19 cases were diagnosed in Greece on Wednesday, which is 195 fewer than the 866 cases that were recorded in the country just one day earlier, on Tuesday.
Tragically, 25 people with the virus passed away in the country over the past 24 hour period, which is, however, two fewer than those recorded yesterday.
Currently, 340 patients with Covid-19 are now intubated in Greece, three more than those who were intubated in the country on Tuesday.
A large portion of Wednesday’s cases were diagnosed in the areas surrounding Greece’s two largest urban centers — Athens and Thessaloniki.
In Attica, home to the capital city of Athens, there were 271 cases, 62 of which were diagnosed in the center of Athens. A total of 69 new cases were recorded in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second largest city.
However, transmission rates have jumped in Sparta and Argolida, where concerned officials have put stricter lockdown measures in place.

Strict Covid-19 measures in Sparta and Argolida

Due to the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases diagnosed in Sparta and Argolida, as well as their older populations, Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Chardalias announced a series of strict lockdown measures for the regions on Wednesday.
Starting Thursday, January 14, both areas, located in the Peloponnese, will be under nighttime curfew from 18:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Only those going to and from work may break the curfew.
Additionally, residents will not be permitted to leave their regional units of Argolida and Sparta, except in the case of medical emergencies.
All religious services have been halted, and all non-essential businesses must close.
These measures will last for four days, until January 18.

Total 1,000 patients discharged from ICUs in Greece

In total, 146,688 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the country since the beginning of the pandemic, including all those who have recovered from the virus.
Of this total, 5,673 are associated with foreign travel, and 44,562 are associated with contact with a known case.
Of the 340 patients intubated currently, 86.5% are over the age of 70 or suffer from preexisting conditions. Their median age is 68, and 239 of the patients are male.
A total of 1,000 patients have been discharged from ICUs around the country since the beginning of the pandemic.
The 25 new deaths recorded on Wednesday bring the total number of fatalities in the country to 5,354. Of all those who lost their lives after suffering from the virus, a total of 3,161 have been male.
The median age of those who passed away with Covid-19 is 79, and 95.5% of them were over the age of 70 or suffered from underlying health issues.