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Update – 09/04/2021

As of the latest update by the Greek authorities, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 diagnosed cases in Greece is 288,230. 73 new deaths were reported raising the total number to 8,680. The number of patients treated in intensive care units is currently 776. 3,228 new cases were announced yesterday in Greece. 1,578 of the new cases were found in the Attica region and 435 new cases in the Thessaloniki region.

Greece began a program of free distribution of Covid-19 antigen self-tests by pharmacies — exclusively to high school students aged 16-18 and teachers — on Thursday. The test is given upon presentation of a valid AMKA social security number and, together with the self test kit, recipients are given written instructions on the correct taking of the sample. The registration of self tests per AMKA is done in real time to avoid the phenomenon of multiple tests being handed out by different pharmacies to the same person. Self tests are rapidly detectable nasal-swab tests (using a nasal instead of nasopharyngeal / oral pharyngeal sample), performed at home and do not require the supervision of a health professional.

Authorities clarified that the individual self tests are designed for healthy and asymptomatic individuals. For those with symptoms of infection, i.e., a fever, cough or other symptoms, a negative test must always also be confirmed by performing a molecular test. This means that self-tests must be carried out even if there are no symptoms of COVID-19, since one in three carriers of the virus is asymptomatic.

Schoolchildren must carry out the self tests 24 to 48 hours before lessons begin and the results (whether positive or negative) must be declared on the platform self-testing.gov.gr, the operation of which started on Wednesday.

Vaccinations against Covid-19 in Greece, including both first and second doses, exceeded the two million mark on Wednesday, a government spokesperson said during a regular press briefing on Thursday. The government also estimates that health authorities will complete 1.5 million vaccinations in April. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appealed to older Greek citizens to become vaccinated against the coronavirus as the government presses forward with its vaccination program.

“I call on the aged, I plead with them: Get vaccinated as soon as possible; vaccines are a protection, there are vaccines and appointments available, it is a fundamental act of self-protection,” he said in an interview on Star TV. “At some point, from September on, the government will review the idea of making vaccination of medical staff obligatory,” he revealed. “I do not want to create pockets of confrontation, we will see about it as of September,” the Prime Minister added.

In more detail, the 3,228 new cases detected per Regional Unit:

  • Attica 1,578
    • Eastern Attica 174
    • Northern Sector of Athens 196
    • West Attica 117
    • Western Sector of Athens 246
    • Central Sector of Athens 454
    • Southern Sector of Athens 132
    • Islands 14
    • Piraeus 245
  • Thessaloniki 435
  • Etoloakarnania 42
  • Argolida 15
  • Arcadia 18
  • Arta 2
  • Achaia 117
  • Boeotia 38
  • Grevena 5
  • Drama 12
  • Evros 26
  • Evia 29
  • Evritania 8
  • Zakynthos 7
  • Ilia 24
  • Imathia 23
  • Heraklion 45
  • Thassos 4
  • Thesprotia 2
  • Thira 1
  • Ikaria 1
  • Ioannina 22
  • Kavala 15
  • Kalymnos 22
  • Karditsa 22
  • Kastoria 20
  • Keas Kythnos 1
  • Corfu 8
  • Cephalonia 4
  • Kilkis 25
  • Kozani 52
  • Corinth 28
  • Kos 10
  • Laconia 4
  • Larissa 89
  • Lasithi 6
  • Lesvos 13
  • Magnesia 31
  • Messinia 10
  • Milos 1
  • Naxos 3
  • Xanthi 11
  • Pella 55
  • Pieria 18
  • Rethymno 13
  • Rodopi 14
  • Rhodes 22
  • Samos 1
  • Serres 55
  • Tinos 1
  • Trikala 10
  • Fthiotida 18
  • Florina 3
  • Fokida 4
  • Chalkidiki 33
  • Chania 31
  • Chios 7
  • Under investigation 100

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