Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in June

As of today, the third phase of coronavirus relief is underway in Cyprus and the lockdown imposed in January will be gradually lifted. As of today, the country's airways also resume flights and ground handling services at its airports and begin to admit foreign tourists, as Bulgaria in the category of "red alert" countries.

The Polish government announced Friday that it will ease additional COVID-19 induced lockdown restrictions, starting February 12.

The all-male monastic community of Mount Athos announced on Friday it will extend a ban on visitors or pilgrims until February 28, as part of measures against the coronavirus pandemic.

Additionally, staff or other essential visitors will be tested for the coronavirus at all entry ports to Mt. Athos.

A significant increase in the number of cases reported with the new strain of the novel coronavirus has been seen, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has said, noting that the new strain is more easily transmitted, and the number of new coronavirus variant cases is expected to continue to increase.

The government is planning to ease restrictions imposed on businesses in line with the COVID-19 pandemic should the number of coronavirus cases decrease to a certain limit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Feb. 1.

Greek authorities on Friday said they will reimpose tougher lockdown restrictions in greater Athens after a January decline in infection rates was reversed this week.

Most retail stores will close in the capital Saturday, retaining pickup services only, after being allowed to reopen on Jan. 18.

Global coronavirus cases surpassed 100 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as countries around the world struggle with new virus variants and vaccine shortfalls. 

Almost 1.3% of the world's population has now been infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and more than 2.1 million people have died.

Greek health authorities have announced 605 new coronavirus cases, and 24 deaths, over the 24-hour period that ended at 3 pm. Saturday.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 151,646 confirmed infections and 5,622 fatalities.

There are also 292 patients on ventilators.

The global number of confirmed coronavirus cases has crossed the 95 mln mark, according to data from the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The overall number of cases has reached 95,003,533, as many as 2,029,938 patients have died.

The United States accounts for the majority of cases (23,928,643), followed by India (10,557,985) and Brazil (8,488,099).

Greece's prime minister says the country's retail sector might begin to gradually reopen next week, if the scientists advising the government on the coronavirus pandemic recommend it is safe to do so today.