ATHENS — Intensive Care Units (ICUs) dedicated to coronavirus patients are over half full in Greece, Alternate Health Minister Vassilis Kontozamanis said during the coronavirus briefing on Friday.

In Attica, they are 60 percent full and in Thessaloniki 69 pct, while in Greece overall they are 60 pct full, he said.

He asserted that nobody who needs an ICU bed is left out, and said that in previous years there were 40 or 50 patients on a daily basis waiting for admission to them.

The bolstering of the National Health System with medical staff and equipment continues, he said.

Meanwhile, admissions to hospitals in Attica Region increased 20%-25% as of December 25, University of Athens infectious diseases professor Vana Papaevangelou said at the live briefing on the coronavirus pandemic on Friday.

In addition, there was a rise in infections for the 25-35 age group, and doctors of the coronavirus experts committee are closely following the trend.

"We must correct the expected rise in the virus' dispersion over the holidays in any way possible," she stressed. "This story will continue for long. The pandemic is here and will continue to impact our lives for many months ahead," the expert said.

Infectious diseases professor and fellow committee-member Gkikas Magiorkinis said at the briefing that overall, the number of active cases in Greece is dropping and the pressure on the health system appears to be easing gradually.

The situation in intensive care units (ICUs), however, remains difficult. In the past 10 days in particular, the decongestion at hospitals has slowed down.