Greek authorities shut down public venues in three of 51 prefectures, COVID-19 cases rise to 31 today.

Schools, universities, theatres, cinemas, athletics facilities, archaeological sites, artistic venues and museums have been closed initially for a period of 48 hours in the prefectures of Achaia, Elia, and Zakynthos.

Nationwide measures will be re-evaluated after that period.

The latest data on the increased incidence of the virus in Greece was announced by Athens University Professor of Pathology and Infectious Diseases (ID) Sotiris Tsiodras (photo) on behalf of the health ministry and the National Organisation for Public Health (EODY).

Speaking at a nationally televised news conference Tsiodras sternly advised journalists not to focus on the number of cases and that it is not particularly significant where  individuals were infected  as in the coming weeks a significant rise in the incidence and spread of the virus is a given.

Over 20 of the current 31 cases were infected on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land combined with a visit to Egypt.

The first confirmed case from that trip was a 66-year-old man who is currently in an isolated intensive care area in the University Hospital of Rio, 10 kilometres from the port city of Patras.

When the man was admitted to hospital he was placed in the pathology ward as reportedly staff were initially instructed to isolate only patients that had had recently visited countries with confirmed coronavius cases. The man was initially diagnosed as suffering from a lung infection.

His is the only very heavy case in the country to date and it was confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Greece.

Of the 24 passengers on the same flight as the man 21 tested positive for COVID-19.

Tsiodras said that over 400 individuals with whom these travelers came into contact have been tested in order to...