Greece sees highest virus spike since end of lockdown

By Magda Panoutsopoulou

ATHENS (AA) – Greece reported 667 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest single-day figure since a lockdown was lifted in May.

The overall case count now stands at 26,469, while the death toll increased by eight to reach 528, health authorities said.

At least 250 of the new infections were reported in the capital Athens and 125 more were recorded in Thessaloniki.

In a briefing, Gkikas Magiorkinis, a Health Ministry committee member, urged people aged between 18 and 40 to be particularly cautious, saying that the highest infection rate was among this age group.

Some 60% to 70% of all new cases in recent days have been people in this age group, he said.

The official warned that Greece’s virus trends are worsening, with average daily fatalities also rising this week from around five a day to at least seven or eight.