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Greece reports record high daily COVID-19 infections – Metro US

Greece reports record high daily COVID-19 infections

FILE PHOTO: Intensive care unit at Sotiria hospital in Athens
FILE PHOTO: Intensive care unit at Sotiria hospital in Athens

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece recorded 5,449 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, authorities said on Monday, the highest single-day figure since the pandemic began early last year.

Another 52 people died from COVID-19 over the past day, taking the total to 15,990 among 747,595 COVID-19 cases.

Giannis Oikonomou, a spokesman for the government, said it was “pressing” to increase the number of vaccinations, which have been moving at a slower pace than authorities anticipated.

“We’re not done with COVID yet. As long as there are unvaccinated people, the virus finds a suitable ground to spread,” Oikonomou told a regular news briefing on Monday.

“We mourn the loss of human lives due to non-vaccination, and this cannot, and should not, continue.”

About 60.5% of Greeks are vaccinated against COVID-19, less than the European Union average of 64.7%, according to the latest available data.

(Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Mark Heinrich)