The residents of a migrant camp in Greece are being quarantined. The authorities decided on Thursday because twenty asylum seekers have tested positive for the corona virus.
The migrants live in Ritsona, about 45 kilometers northeast of Athens. A maximum of 2,500 people can stay in the camp. No one is allowed to enter or leave the camp for the next two weeks; agents will enforce this.
In total, 63 people were tested for the COVID-19 virus. These tests were performed after a nineteen-year-old migrant who gave birth at the Athens hospital was found to be infected with the virus. “The nineteen other patients are currently not showing any symptoms, according to authorities.
The woman was officially the first corona patient among the more than 40,000 persons in the migrant camps on five Greek islands. The authorities are still investigating where she got infected.
Concerns about coronavirus in migrant camps
The camps in the country are overcrowded, raising concerns about a possible outbreak of the virus among migrants. Due to poor living conditions, the virus is feared to spread quickly.
Greece took measures last month to combat an outbreak of the virus in the camps. For example, residents may temporarily leave the camps only in small groups and between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM to collect food and other necessities from nearby towns and cities.
1,415 infections have been detected in Greece since the end of February. Fifty persons died from COVID-19.
Follow the latest developments around the virus in our live blog.
The coronavirus in short
- The coronavirus mainly spreads from person to person via sneezing and cough drops. The chance of becoming infected through surfaces such as door handles is small. This chance decreases if you wash your hands often.
- You can considerably reduce the chance of spreading by keeping at least 1.5 meters away from others.
- An infected person infects two to three others on average. Precautions are necessary to contain this.
- The vast majority of patients have mild (flu-like) complaints.
- Almost all deaths involve the elderly or other vulnerable persons, such as heart, lung or diabetes patients. If everyone complies with the measures, this reduces their risks.
- Read here what precautions you should take.
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