A new lockdown in the greater Athens region that closed all schools and most shops began Thursday and will last until the end of February to help contain the coronavirus.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the new lockdown on Tuesday and said the decision was dictated by an increase in hospitalisations in the area, which is home to about 4.5 million people.

The measures are also to prevent spread of the COVID-19 variants first detected in England and South Africa.

Health officials said hospital intensive care units for COVID-19 patients in the greater Athens area are about 71% full, up from 62% a week ago.

On Wednesday, health officials reported 1,496 confirmed cases and another 17 deaths.

The total confirmed infections in the country of about 10.5 million is just over 167,549, while the death toll is at 6,034, according to Johns Hopkins University.

source associated press 

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