ATHENS – Practicing social distancing and maintaining diligent health standards everywhere are the principal current measures against the coronavirus pandemic, said the Health Ministry’s coronavirus spokesman and infectious diseases professor Sotiris Tsiodras on Friday evening.

Speaking at the daily televised update, he added that restrictive measures will be gradually lifted over the next two months, but this will happen “in a controlled, incremental way.”

Referring to the Covid-19 infections at the private clinic in Peristeri, Athens, he said that three deaths were registered at the clinic and 17 patients who tested positive were taken to coronavirus reference hospitals. He pointed out that the clinic’s entire staff is already in home quarantine, while even those who tested negative will be tested again every 2-3 days.

He noted that the 96 kidney patients at the Peristeri clinic need to continue their dialysis and to also “feel that someone is standing by them to help.” He referred to the Peristeri clinic case as a “warning bell” for future reference.

Asked if the pandemic will subside in the summer season, he said that transmission of the virus could be reduced by about 20 pct when the weather improves, as it does not live longer than two minutes in temperatures of 35 Celsius and above. However, he cited a recent announcement by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) that there is no new decisive data on how temperature or humidity contribute decisively to the survival of the virus.

On daily statistics, the professor announced 27 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Greece in the last 24 hours, and 5 new deaths.

The Covid-19 infections total in Greece stands at 2,490.

Deaths stand at 130 since the start of the outbreak; 34 of them were women. Of the 130, a 90 pct had underlying health issues or their average age was 70 years or more. The average age of all the deceased was 74 years of age.

Some 48 patients are being treated in Intensive Care Units and 13 of these are women. An 88 pct of ICU patients have underlying health issues or are over 70 years of age.

A total of 60 people have so far been discharged from ICUs.

Some 61,407 Covid-19 diagnostic tests have been carried out in Greece since the start of the outbreak.