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22 Oct 2020 | 05:09 PM UTC

Greece: Curfews to be imposed in Athens and Thessaloniki from October 24 /update 36

Curfews to be imposed in Athens and Thessaloniki between 00:30 - 05:00 from October 24; abide by government directives

Warning

Event

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday, October 22, that Athens and Thessaloniki will have a curfew enacted between 00:30 - 05:00 (local time) from Saturday, October 24 amid a recent spike in cases of coronavirus (COVID-19). The curfew will be in effect for all areas that are considered 'orange' or 'red' risk levels.  Exemptions from the overnight curfew include anyone in an emergency situation and those who work at night. 

Previously, authorities announced that a lockdown will be implemented in Kastoria from Friday, October 23. The decision was announced by the Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister, Nikos Hardalias, following a recent surge of infections in the city.

As of October 22, there have been 28,216 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greece with 549 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:


  • Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.

  • When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.

  • If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.