THESSALONIKI — An additional 50 ICU beds will be made available in northern Greek hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients between now and Sunday, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced after a meeting on Wednesday with the heads of the 3rd and 4th health districts, Panagiotis Bogiatzidis and Dimitris Tsalikakis, respectively, as well as the secretary-general for health services, Yiannis Kotsiopoulos, and the president of Emergency Aid Centre, Nikos Papaefstathiou.

Specifically, six ICU beds will be added at AHEPA hospital, seven at Xanthi General Hospital, five at the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, five at Serres Hospital, 15 at Ippokratio hospital in Thessaloniki, six at Giannitsa hospital and five at Gennimatas Hospital.

Kikilias also announced that, for the further support of northern Greece, all health districts will support each other and will be able to transfer cases to neighbouring health districts. Additionally, he said that the prime minister has spoken with the chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff about providing, if needed, a C-130 aircraft equipped with a special capsule to transfer patients from remote districts.

Underlining the seriousness of the situtation, Kikilias said that 25 patients have been intubated at AHEPA hospital alone over the last day and 86 admissions of COVID-19 patients.

Kikilias urged all citizens to take the very difficult situation the country is facing into account, at a time when the virus is spreading in the community, saying: "It is not just a matter of treatment and the national health system but an issue of public health and how many are infected."