ΑΤΗΕΝS – Greece confirmed 36,246 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, with 38 of these identified at entry points to the country, the National Public Health Organization (EODY) said on Monday.

Since the pandemic began, Greece has confirmed 1,294,741 infections (daily change: +2.9 pct). In the confirmed cases of the last 7 days, 217 infections are related to travel from abroad and 1,000 to other confirmed cases.

There are also 78 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total of pandemic victims to 20,990. Of these, 95.1 pct had an underlying condition and/or were aged 70 or over.

A total of 615 patients are on ventilators in hospitals. Their median age is 63 years and 80.00 pct have an underlying condition and/or are aged 70 or over. Of the total, 522 (84.88 pct) are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated and 93 (15.12 pct) are fully vaccinated.

Another 3,780 have been discharged from ICUs since the pandemic began.

In addition, 437 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital in the last 24 hours (daily change: +9.25 pct). The average admission of patients with Covid-19 to hospitals over the last 7 days was 413.

The median age of new infections is 36 years (range: 0.2 to 110 years), while the median age of the deceased is 78 (range: 0.2 to 106 years).

Omicron Variant Seen Bringing 80,000 Daily Cases Across Greece

The highly-contagious if less deadly Omicron Variant of COVID-19 could see more than 80,000 cases throught Greece by the middle of January, further besieging hospitals and the public health sector.

Dimosthenis Sarigiannis, Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, told SKAI TV that a previous record in late January of more than 40,000 cases will hit 65,000 and more than 80,000 between Jan. 19-22.

Read more: COVID Unstoppable, Mitsotakis Mulling Mandatory Shots Again

He said those estimates are based on existing restrictions which were only tightened late at the end of 2021 after the government had eased them to focus on trying to spur an economic recovery.

The new measures include wearing masks outside as well as inside and either KN95 enhanced protection masks or double masks in supermarkets, where the unvaccinated are allowed to go to shop.

Read more: COVID-19 Kills Another Anti-Vaxxer Greek Cleric, Sister Too