ATHENS – Greece registered 2,147 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, of which 16 were identified at entry points to the country, said the National Public Health Organization (EODY) on the day.

Confirmed infections since the pandemic began total 182,783 in Greece. In the last 7 days, 55 confirmed cases related to incoming travellers and 2,492 to already confirmed cases.

A total of 357 patients are on ventilators nationwide. Their median age is 69 years. An 86.6 percent has an underlying condition and/or is aged 70 or more. Another 1,291 patients have been discharged from ICUs since the pandemic began in Greece. 

The current average of Covid-19 patients admitted to hospitals nationally is 299 (daily change: +13.26 pct). The average rate of hospital admissions in the last 7 days is 248 patients.

EODY said that 22 people died of Covid-19 in the last 24 hrs, while the deceased since the pandemic began in Greece total 6,343. Of these, 95.7 pct had an underlying condition and/or were aged 70 or more.

Tuesday's numbers are the first since Dec. 2 to exceed 2,000 daily cases, when 2,186 were recorded. In terms of geographical distribution, 285 of the new cases were identified in central Athens (metropolitan area: 620), while Attica (non-Athens) had 144, Piraeus 259, and Thessaloniki 205. Regions with over 30 new cases on Tuesday include Arcadia 36, Achaia 121, Evros 40, Evia 46, Ilia 31, Iraklio on Crete 32, Larissa 44, and 39 in Chalkidiki peninsula.

In the new cases, median age is 44, while the median age of the deceased was 79 years.