ATHENS — Greece announced 460 new confirmed coronavirus infections on Friday of which 142 are related to known clusters and another 26 were found during checks at the country's entry points.

The total number of the pandemic's cases in Greece is 19.346, of whom 2.991 are linked to travel abroad and 7.967 to an already known case.

The National Public Health Organization also announced that there 85 individuals intubated. Their median age is 69 years, 88.2 pct have an underlying condition and/or are 70 years old or older, and 26 are women.

A total of 217 patients have been discharged from ICUs so far.

In addition, 5 deaths were also recorded on Friday, bringing the fatality total to 398. Of the deceased, their median age was 78 years, 96.2 pct had an underlying condition and/or were aged 70 or more, and 147 were women.

Of the 460 new cases announced on Friday, 114 are linked to an outbreak at a canning factory in Pella, Macedonia.

At the twice-weekly briefing, Deputy Civic Protection Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said that all measures in place for the coronavirus are extended to October 12. He added that despite the high numbers, the daily average of new cases is stable; the concern is the rising number of those in ICUs.

Hardalias appealed to residents of the Pella region in Macedonia to observe the restrictions, especially in coming days. He said that the canning factory in Mavrovouni of Skidra, Pella had suspended operations.

Additionally, Kythnos island, which is under local restrictions as of Friday morning, has been registering a heavy virus load. Restrictions include a ban on night hours for stores of health interest, suspension of all public events, restrictions in the number of people who gather in one place (9) indoors or outdoors, and the use of a facial mask, whether at homes or out of them.

Speaking at the briefing, doctor and professor Gkikas Magiorkinis said that despite the rising trend seen the last week, the steep curve of infections has dropped off in Greece. He did caution however that globally infections are expected to rise as people return to closed spaces for the winter.

In addition, the number of patients who are intubated has risen in Greece – it was under 70 last week, and this week it has been over 80. Attica continues to carry the heaviest load of the pandemic, with half of all Greek cases registering in the Attica basin.

Asked by Athens-Macedonian News Agency to comment on people who are infected but exhibit no symptoms of the illness, he said the number of asymptomatic confirmed coronavirus individuals fluctuated. In general, they range between 50 pct and 80 pct of all confirmed infections. In certain facilities in Greece, he said, 100 pct of the cases involved no signs of infection.

He estimated that the virus has infected over 100,000 people since it appeared in end-February, "even 150,000". Collective immunity to the novel coronavirus is particularly low in Greece, when the ideal would be to have over 50 pct of the Greek population be immune, he revealed.