Speaking to television news network Antenna on Wednesday, Greek Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced that the government will impose a month-long nationwide lockdown.
Asked to clarify when the lockdown will begin, Kikilias aid “as soon as possible” and that the announcements will be made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The health minister did not provide further details during his discussion with Antenna’s journalist Nikos Hatzinikolaou.
The move comes after Thessaloniki entered into full lockdown on Tuesday and after Greece recorded a new daily COVID-19 infection record of 2,646 cases and 18 deaths on Wednesday.
Coronavirus case loads continue to increase throughout the country but other statistics are more worrisome to the government’s scientific advisors.
Greek Deputy Minister of Health Vasilis Kontzamanis announced specific details about Greece’s existing intensive care units available.
Nationwide, Greek hospitals have 997 intensive care units, of which 696 are currently occupied.
Specifically for COVID-19 patients, there are 331 ICU beds, of which 209 are currently occupied by patients, leaving 122 open spots.
In Athens hospitals there are 359 ICU beds— 292 of which are in use.
140 of these beds are reserved for Covid-19 patients and 99 are currently in use, leaving 41 available beds.
In Thessaloniki, there are a total of 136 ICU beds, 92 of which are in use. 83 of these beds are reserved for Covid-19 patients and 63 are in use, leaving 20 open beds.
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