Coronavirus infections rise to 352; travellers to be placed in two-week quarantine

Greece’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 infections stands at 352, as 21 new cases were added since Sunday, according to Health Ministry spokesman and infectious diseases Professor Sotiris Tsiodras who spoke at a press briefing on Monday.

The source of infection for 51 cases is undetermined, he said. Of the total number, 65 patients are hospitalized in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras, with nine being treated in Intensive Care Units.

Ten patients have so far been discharged from the start of the coronavirus outbreak in  the country. Tsiodras also said health authorities have so far tested 4,320 samples for coronavirus.

In the same briefing, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias said that anyone arriving from abroad should place themselves into obligatory quarantine for two weeks, and refered specifically to those arriving from Britain, a country that has yet to apply strict measures to limit the spread of the virus.

Asked about two quarantined villages in northern Greece which have been placed in quaranine due to three deaths and numerous confirmed cases, Hardalias says the measure is related to a "specific cluster" of infection and residents will no be allowed to venture outside their villages.

Earlier in the day, the government announced it will shut all shops apart from supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, petrol stations and food delivery services, and put anyone arriving from abroad into quarantine for two weeks.

The quarantine applies to anyone entering the country, regardless of nationality.