Greek PM Mitsotakis orders nationwide lockdown to curb Covid-19 cases surge

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new restrictions will come into effect on Nov 7. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Updated

Published

Nov 05, 2020, 06:33 PM

ATHENS (REUTERS) - Greece ordered a nationwide lockdown on Thursday (Nov 5) for three weeks to help contain a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new restrictions will come into effect on Saturday.

"I've chosen to take drastic measures sooner rather than later," Mr Mitsotakis said.

The country has reported fewer cases than most in Europe mainly due to an early nationwide lockdown that it imposed when the pandemic broke out in February. It started unwinding restrictions in May.

But since early October it has seen a surge in infections and has been reimposing curbs.

Greece registered 2,646 infections on Wednesday, the highest daily tally since its first case surfaced, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 46,892. So far, 673 people have died of the disease.

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