Tourists heading to Greece for summer vacations have been warned about the risks of the new Covid variant FLiRT, as Greece experiences a significant rise in Covid-19 cases and related hospitalizations.
Between July 8 and July 14, Greece saw a sharp increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions, with 669 new patients—a 44% rise compared to the weekly average in June. The National Public Health Organisation (EODY) has reported 26 Covid-19 deaths during this period.
In response to the surge, the Mentaxa Oncology Hospital in Piraeus, Athens, has reinstated mask mandates and other protective measures. Matina Pagoni, President of the Association of Hospital Doctors’ Union of Athens and Piraeus, told MEGA: “It’s summer, we’re going on vacation, we never said the coronavirus was gone. This year, the situation is significantly worse than last year with increased hospitalizations and deaths.”
Thessaloniki has also reported a rise in Covid-19 cases through sewage testing. Health officials predict that the outbreak will persist until the end of July.
Compounding the situation, Greece is enduring a severe heatwave and its highest wildfire risk in two decades. The Acropolis, Greece’s premier cultural site, was forced to close on Wednesday due to soaring temperatures, which have reached up to 46°C in some areas. Meteorologists forecast that high temperatures will continue through the end of the month, advising tourists to stay indoors.
The new FLiRT Covid variant shares symptoms with previous strains, including fever, cough, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, body aches, shortness of breath, headache, and runny nose. The World Health Organisation has reported that Covid-19 continues to cause around 1,700 deaths per week globally.
