Aegean islands

A recently founded environmental group, Dive in Action, is organizing an ambitious cleanup of the old Fira harbor that once served as the main port for the popular Greek holiday island of Santorini.

The arrival of migrants dropped 91 pct in May compared with the same month last year, according to data released by the Migration Policy Ministry on Thursday.

On four islands (Chios, Samos, Leros, Kos) there were no arrivals last month.

The National Organization for Public Health (EODY) is launching on Friday (June 5) a new round of testing on the residents of 16 small islands of the Aegean, ahead of the opening to foreign tourists in mid-June.

The National Organization for Public Health (EODY) is launching on Friday (June 5) a new round of testing on the residents of 16 small islands of the Aegean, ahead of the opening to foreign tourists in mid-June.

Greek health authorities will carry out antibody tests on 16 islands next week, the head of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, told radio station Praktoreio FM on Tuesday.

Despite the declining course of the coronavirus epidemic, the islands continue to boost their levels of preparedness in view of the tourist season which begins formally on June 15.

Sixteen refugees and migrants who had been left in an old bus on the port of Mytilene, Lesvos, since May 22 as a quarantine measure to protect against the spread of the coronavirus were transported on Monday to a separated section of the Kara Tepe camp.

As the Covid-19 tidal wave sweeps across the planet, the Greek islands are riding out the storm like virus-free life rafts. We didn't think that it was possible, but these little parcels of paradise have become even more irresistible.

Four dinghies took four teams of doctors and nurses to Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros and Sikonos, covering more than 200 nautical miles in 31 hours, and collected about 200 samples as part of an initiative to conduct coronavirus tests and to ascertain the health infrasture needs of remote islands.

Doctors, nurses and paramedics on the Greek islands will be receiving special training geared at dealing with coronavirus-related emergencies ahead of the relaunch of the tourism season next month.