Easter led to outbreaks in several regions, expert says

A recent spike in coronavirus infections in some islands and regions is the result of the movement and overcrowding seen during Orthodox Easter about two weeks ago, said Vana Papaevangelou, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Athens University and a member of the experts committee advising the government.

Outbreaks in Ikaria, Karpathos, Corfu, Skiathos and the region of Etoloakarnania in western Greece are such examples, with most of those infected being younger individuals, she said at a briefing on the pandemic on Friday.

“As long as the virus is among us, we must not forget the importance of individual protection measures … The relaxation of the restrictive measures [by the government] is one thing — the relaxation of individual protection is quite another,” she added.

She also admitted that scientists are worried that the number of new infections remains high.

At the same briefing, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias added four more regions in Papaevangelou’s list of areas with a high virus load: Orestiada in northern Greece, the islands of Patmos and Naxos, and the area of Milopotamos in Rethymno, Crete.

In Etoloakarnania, the towns of Agrinio and Mesolonghi are recording the highest number of infections, he added.