ATHENS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greece has jumped to 31 from nine cases a day earlier, the Greek Health ministry announced on Thursday.
Officials said there was no reason for panic, but there should be no complacency, reiterating calls on the public to follow instructions by experts to contain the novel coronavirus epidemic.
A total of 21 Greek nationals who had traveled in a group and returned from Israel on Feb. 27 tested positive for the virus in the past few hours, Professor Sotirios Tsiodras, the ministry's spokesperson for the coronavirus control, told a press briefing.
Greek authorities announced on Wednesday evening that most of the confirmed cases were from western Greece, and all schools and universities in three regions, namely Achaia, Ilia and Zakynthos island, will remain closed at least until Saturday, and public gatherings including sports and cultural events will also be suspended.
The announcement was made after a man among the travelers' group was confirmed positive on Wednesday.
The first eight cases reported in Greece in Athens and the city of Thessaloniki in the north concerned Greeks who had recently traveled to Italy and their close contacts, family members and friends.
Since the first case was reported on Feb. 26, authorities have been gradually implementing measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
"As in all epidemics, the epidemic of fear is worse than the real epidemic, right? What is needed is that we all keep calm," Tsiodras said.
"At this stage, the reduction and prevention of further spread will reduce the extent of reported cases," the expert stressed.
As a precautionary measure, all facilities of the University of Crete in Rethymno city will remain shut Thursday and Friday, because a student is regarded as a suspected case, he added.
"There is no reason to panic, but this does not mean we should be complacent," Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias told media at Athens general public hospital "Gennimatas."
Gennimatas is the first of eight public hospitals nationwide where special isolation boxes are being set up at the courtyards to receive suspicious cases, he said.
"It is a useful measure so that we can address with maximum effectiveness the cases emerging," the hospital's director Eleftherios Boulias told media.
"We follow exactly the guidelines given by the National Public Health Organization and we are implementing what should be done when examining patients to verify whether or not they have been infected by the virus," Dimosthenis Tsoutsos, Director of Medical services at the same hospital noted.
"Each suspicious case is examined by experts who are working here before patients get inside the hospital and come in contact with other patients. Those who are considered as suspicious cases are examined thoroughly here and the tests are sent to Pasteur institute for crosscheck," the doctor explained.
In a meeting on COVID-19 earlier on Thursday Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked for the continuation of a campaign to provide timely and reliable information to the public, according to an e-mailed press release issued by his office.
The government is working closely with the health authorities, epidemiology experts, as well as international partners to reliably inform the population on best practices, to achieve early detection of cases, and share information internationally, Alex Patelis, chief economic adviser at the Premier's office, added in another e-mailed press statement.
Regarding the potential economic fallout from the coronavirus, the Finance Ministry has mapped out scenarios with corresponding policy reactions, he noted. Enditem
