The 12 crew members of the cruiseship “Mein Schiff 6” that were found by Greek authorities to have tested positive to the coronavirus during random testing have been isolated, although none of them are exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms, owner TUI Cruises announced on Monday evening.
TUI Cruises said that repeat tests of the 12 showed that 6 had no sign of the virus and the other 6 were awaiting results of testing on Tuesday morning.
The ship was on cruise to Iraklio, Piraeus and Corfu when it agreed with Greek authorities to return to Piraeus for further tests and isolated the 12 crew members.
The cruiseship carries 922 passengers and 666 crew and staff. Following EU protocols, the ship is prepared to isolate infected individuals in independently ventilated cabins in separate areas.
Greece officially confirmed another 269 novel coronavirus infections on Monday.
In addition, there are 4 more registered deaths, bringing Greece’s fatalities to the coronavirus to 383.
Of the new 269 cases, 197 belong to the Attica region, 12 in Ioannina region, and 4 in Thessaloniki.
Moreover, 150 school units are either shut or partially shut due to coronavirus cases.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who flew to Chania as of Monday afternoon, will visit the military base of Souda with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this morning. An expanded delegation meeting is scheduled for 11:20 am at the 115 Combat Wing headquarters of the Hellenic Air Force, to be followed by statements to the press.
Greek officials participating in the meetings include Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias, National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos, Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff Constantine Floros, and the PM’s Diplomatic Office director, Ambassador Eleni Sourani.
Pompeo concluded his visit to Thessaloniki on Monday evening. The day of his arrival in the northern city he met with Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias, with whom he issued a joint statement on US-Greek strategic relations. Leading a delegation, Pompeo also met with other officials and paid a visit to the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki.
Patras experienced extended damage from the heavy rainfall yesterday. Today rainfall is expected to hit Thrace and the northern Aegean islands.
Some 700 migrants left a temporary shelter on Lesvos on Monday and boarded a ferry to the mainland, the first stage of the planned relocation of 2,500 asylum seekers from the eastern Aegean island.
After collecting the 700 migrants from Lesvos – mostly families or members of vulnerable groups – the Nisos Chios passenger ferry had been due to collect another 300 people from Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos.
The migrants are to be put up in accommodation on the mainland as part of the Helios program which the International Organization for Migration is running in association with the Greek government.
And the weather forecast…
Partly cloudy in Attica today with the temperature expected to reach a maximum of 27 degrees Celsius
