Authorities concerned over persistently high viral load in northern Greece

Greek authorities were concerned on Friday about the persistently high number of infections and intubations in northern Greece after three weeks in lockdown.

“The viral load has not decreased,” especially in northern Greece, Deputy Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Hardalias, said during a regular briefing on the evolution of the pandemic in the country on Friday.

Asked about whether the lockdown will be lifted at the end of the month as initially planned, Hardalias said that this will depend on the data received at the end of next week.

“The intention is to start a gradual lifting [of the lockdown]….But let us not relax the implementation of the [health] measures.”

The sober mood was also reflected by Athens University professor and government adviser Vana Papaevangelou.

“It is worrying that there is no clear reduction of the viral wave three weeks after the lockdown in northern Greece and two weeks after the implementation of horizontal measures throughout Greece,” she told journalists at the same briefing.

“According to our experience from last spring, one would expect a greater reduction [of infections].”

Papaevangelou said the median age of those infected in recent days nationwide is 45.

The total number of patients treated for Covid-19 outside of intensive care units in the country exceeded 4,000, while 519 patients were intubated in ICUs.

Most new infections reported on Friday were again in the region of Attica (582) and Thessaloniki (673). At the same time, the regions of Larissa, Magnesia and Pella reported three-digit number of new cases, she said.