Refugee camp in northern Greece quarantined after Covid-19 infection

A refugee camp in Nea Kavala was quarantined by health authorities on Thursday after a pregnant woman tested positive for Covid-19, according to reports in local media.

Teams from the National Organization for Public Health (EODY), along with the Health Ministry’s infectious disease expert Sotiris Tsiodras, are at the camp testing all residents.

The new infection prompted Peonia mayor Kostas Sionidis to close six schools in the area where refugee children attend classes.

Sionidis told local news website Voria that most of the children attend the afternoon classes but some have joined the morning courses. The municipality has sent crews to disinfect the buildings on Thursday and Friday.

Pupils are expected to return to school on Tuesday, due to a holiday on Monday.

Greek authorities are expected to issue an official announcement on the situation at the camp later in the day.

The camp was set up in the former “Asimakopoulou” air force camp to house mostly refugees who had set up tents in Idomeni, near the border, in 2015.