Panagiotis Euripides
The number of coronavirus patients admitted to public hospitals has reached 92, with three individuals currently intubated in the Intensive Care Unit, as reported by Pambos Charilaou, the spokesperson for OKYPY.
Speaking to K, the OKYPY spokesperson noted that the anticipated surge in cases during the holidays has occurred, particularly affecting elderly individuals aged over 75.
When questioned about hospital occupancy rates, Harilaou stated that the situation is manageable. He acknowledged a general increase in infections, including influenza and RSV among children.
Simultaneously, in discussions with Professor Petros Karagiannis, a Molecular Virology expert and member of the Covid-19 Monitoring Committee, it was revealed that the reported cases stand at around 4000, according to last week's Ministry of Health data. However, he emphasized that numerous unreported cases exist, handled individually by people and not communicated to the Ministry.
Dr. Karagiannis described the current outbreak as the most severe in recent months. Regarding the JN.1 sub-variant, prevalent in the US at 62-66% of cases, he clarified that it is not deemed dangerous or particularly pathogenic.
"The outbreak is attributed to many not receiving the necessary 5th dose of the vaccine, especially among the elderly," stressed the professor, underscoring the critical importance of vaccination coverage.
Regarding protective measures, the committee member expressed skepticism about the need for additional tightening, drawing comparisons with measures implemented in other countries. However, he highlighted the paramount significance of individual-level protection.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
