Greece is preparing to “receive” its first coronavirus case, as experts from the National Public Health Organisation (NPHO) believe it is simply a matter of time, possibly within the next three to four weeks, before the new 2019-nCoV coronavirus strains reaches the country.

The Greek Ministry of Health is focusing on the airports and hospitals, where the potential outbreak is most likely to first appear.

At the Athens International Airport of “Eleftherios Venizelos”, passengers arriving in Greece via direct flights from Beijing every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, as well as selected flights landing in Athens via China are undergoing thorough testing and screening including, among other things the use of infrared temperatures measurements.

Given the rate at which the new coronavirus is spreading both in China and other countries (the number of infected people amounts to 28,000 and the death toll is 563), Greek scientists and health officials know that containing the virus effectively will depend on its timely detection and isolation.

Experts are focusing their efforts on preventing the virus from reaching Greece in an uncontrollable manner by “controlling” the points of its entry in to the country to avoid the prospect the deadly virus emerging in “unknown” areas.