ATHENS – Greece’s course to what looks to be a record tourism year in 2024, bolstered by summer vacationers undeterred by blistering heat, got a setback with an increase in COVID cases and deaths that brought a warning about the spike.

Health officials said there’s been an increase especially in the new FLiRT variant that’s deemed not as serious as earlier types but with the elderly and those with multiple conditions susceptible, a health warning was given.

That came from the National Public Health Organization EODY which said that from July 8-14 that there were 669 Coronavirus patients admitted to hospitals,     12 in Intensive Care Units (ICU) on ventilators.

They included a child under nine years old and the health agency said in that week that 26 patients had died from the virus and urged vulnerable groups to stick to preventative measures and seek treatment if they become ill.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/warning-tourists-travelling-greece-hospitalisations-210106756.html

In Athens, the oncology hospital of Metaxas, reintroduced protection measures such as mandatory mask-wearing and testing for patients and their companions, reported the Manchester Evening News.

The UK Health Safety Agency has listed the symptoms of COVID-19, flu and common respiratory infections.

The number of new hospital admissions also showed an increase, with EODY reporting 669 new hospitalizations,  far above the average of 464 new admissions weekly the previous month and 226 admissions in the same week last year.