The Greek authorities confirmed on Sunday that the first case of the South African variant of the coronavirus was detected in the country, before which senior health officials traveled to the area where it was found.
The minister leading the government’s response to the pandemic and the director of Greece’s public health body met with doctors and the local bishop in the northern city of Thessaloniki. The variant is believed to be more contagious than the original type and was detected in a 36-year-old deacon in a suburb of the city.
“We will conduct reviews to isolate people who have been in contact with the patient,” said Panayiotis Arkoumaneas, director of the National Public Health Organization.
There have also been 173 cases of people contracting a variant that was first detected in Britain, authorities said Sunday.
On Saturday, Greek officials reported 484 new cases of coronavirus, as well as 17 deaths. The total number of confirmed cases in the country since the pandemic began is 156,957, with 5,796 deaths.
Experts warned that there could be a rebound in cases in February and March, noting that the situation will remain volatile until large numbers of vulnerable people have received the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The virus is drumming and we are dancing to its beat,” said Nikos Sipsas, a member of the state advisory committee on the pandemic.
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