Ministers to visit Thessaloniki amid surge in Covid-19 cases

Citizens' Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis and Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias are expected to visit Thessaloniki in northern Greece on Thursday for an emergency meeting on coronavirus amid alarm over a surge in infections in the region.

New data revealed by experts on Wednesday indicate a sharp increase in the viral load tracked in the city's wastewater.

After almost a month in which the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in urban sewage water was consistently found at low levels - despite some minor fluctuation - the last two sample readings show an important increase in viral load, experts said.

After cases shot up by 50 percent on Tuesday, there has been speculation that Thessaloniki will be redesignated a red zone, with retail returning to click-and-collect mode and senior high school pupils returning to remote learning....