The epidemiological picture of the country is balanced by a tightrope, with one case record following another, while the number of patients is once again approaching 200. As expected, the very large number of cases in recent days has led to an increase in hospitalizations. Par & # 8217; all this the hard index, which concerns the admissions in Intensive Care units remains constant. Despite the increase in cases and the percentage of positivity, the Ministry of Health and experts emphasize that the key to the next relaxations remains hospitalization. The members of the epidemiological team are discussing an adjustment and not a universal lifting of the restrictions, while the Minister of Health Michalis Hadjipandella is waiting for their suggestions for the next steps of the government.
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Epidemiologists and the Ministry of Health may make hospital-based decisions rather than new infections and test-positive rates, but no significant changes in measures are expected before the outbreak stops. Experts fear that the cases that exist in the community are much more than those that are identified and announced, at the same time that they do not rule out that we will exceed 200 patients. It is worth noting, however, that the image of public hospitals is significantly improved compared to previous waves of the pandemic. During the outbreak that occurred at the beginning of the year, the record number of cases exceeded 5,200. Specifically, on January 5, 2022, 5,202 new cases of coronavirus were recorded with a positive test rate of 4%. On the same day, 205 patients were treated in public hospitals, with 80% of them not having a history of vaccination. Of the 205, 70 were in serious condition, with intensive care admissions reaching 31 and intubated 28. Nearly three months later, on March 28, 2022, 6,494 new cases were detected, with test scores approaching 6%. The number of patients reaches 190, with the percentage of the unvaccinated being reduced to 57%. The fact that this contributed significantly to the reduction of ICU hospitalizations as of the 31 patients, and 28 intubated, we dropped to 5, of which 4 intubated.
28,638 cases
The cases and the percentage of positivity remain at extremely high levels. According to the epidemiological surveillance unit, between March 19 and March 25, 28,638 cases were detected, a number that increased by 6,478 cases compared to the previous week. Once again, the largest number of cases, namely 3,249, were detected in children aged 6 to 11 years, followed by the age group of 35-39 years with 2813. In the same period, 3,807 re-infections were recorded. In the meantime, the number of cases detected in closed structures is increasing. Specifically, in the last ten days, 370 cases were identified in institutions, nursing homes and closed structures. The 99 were staff and the other 271 tenants, 10 of whom needed treatment.
Double infections
The fact that last year almost twice as many re-infections were recorded as in the previous weeks is a matter of concern for the members of the epidemiological team. While in the previous period the re-infections amounted to 1,500 to 2,000, last week 3,807 citizens were found to be positive for the virus again, with some of them even getting sick for the third time. This is largely explained by the fact that many of the patients have either not been vaccinated or have not completed their vaccination regimen, at the same time that people who have been ill and have been vaccinated are not reported as contact cases. According to what was said yesterday by the communication advisor of the Minister of Health, Konstantinos Athanassiou, a problem is identified in the tracing of the cases as people who have completed their vaccination scheme are not declared as contacts, since there is a false impression that the vaccinated do not get sick. p>
Boosting doses
The 3rd dose of vaccine for people aged 12-17 and the 4th dose for citizens start today through the free vaccination centers over 70 years. The 4th installment in the first phase will be given to people over 80 years old, to people regardless of age who live or work in nursing homes and closed structures, provided that the period of five (5) months has passed since the 3rd installment. Regarding the administration of the 3rd installment to persons over 12 years of age, this will be done assuming that the period of six (6) months has passed from the receipt of the 2nd installment.