IOANNINA, Greece — A total of 55 residents and staff have tested positive for Covid-19 in a private care home for the elderly in the northwestern Greek city of Ioannina, according to reports on Tuesday.

Nine members of staff and 46 elderly residents tested positive, of which 21 have been transferred to hospitals in the 6th Health Region as the special Covid-19 referral units at Ioannina's University Hospital are full.

In statements to the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (ANA), the deputy regional governor for health, Agni Nakou, said that the staff at all care homes had been tested between September 9 and October 16, with all tests coming back negative.

The first case, a member of staff, was diagnosed on October 24 and subsequent tests on residents and staff detected 55 cases in total.

Some elderly residents with milder symptoms have remained at the care home under the care of its doctor as they wait for their transfer to hospital.

The director of the 6th Health Region has asked for a public prosecutor to intervene in the case.