Extensive testing to continue in Xanthi, says health ministry expert

Teams from the National Health Organization (EODY) will remain in the regional unit of Xanthi, in northeastern Greece, to conduct more tests for the coronavirus in an ongoing effort to halt its spread in the area, Health Ministry adviser and infectious disease professor Sotiris Tsiodras said on Friday, following a visit to the region.

The visit comes a day after the General Secretariat for Civil Protection announced restrictions for the region of Xanthi after 15 coronavirus infections were reported there in one day while imposing a curfew on the village of Echinos, where most of the cases were traced.

“I think that, in scientific terms, we will be able to limit the transmission in the area. There has been an easing of the measures in recent weeks, there has been a fatigue on the side of the population, this is understandable, but it will be a pity if all this effort is wasted,” he said in comments after a meeting with the mayors of Xanthi’s four regions.

Tsiodras said the outbreak mostly concerns communities in the municipality of Mykis and ruled out the possibility of a lockdown in Xanthi.

“If we are not careful, if we relax, then there is transmission of the virus mainly by asymptomatic patients – as is the case here in the area where [people] who had no symptoms are in hospital,” he said.

In the broader region of Xanthi the use of face masks will be compulsory in all shops and other businesses.