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2021.04.26 12:07 GMT+8

Greece detects second COVID-19 infection with variant prevalent in India

Updated 2021.04.26 12:07 GMT+8
CGTN

People at Ermou street at the center of Athens, Greece, April 16, 2021. /CFP

Greece reported another COVID-19 infection with strain B.1.617, a variant first detected in India, health authorities said Sunday.

The patient is a 33-year-old foreign woman living in the Athens area, who returned to Greece after a trip to Dubai on April 4.

The woman developed symptoms after returning despite a negative nucleic acid test certificate issued by Dubai, and was detected with the variant in a large collection of samples by health services.

The woman had mild symptoms and was not hospitalized. Her symptoms have since subsided and her period of quarantine is over.

Greek health authorities are carrying out an epidemiological investigation and tracing the patient's close contacts in order to take effective quarantine measures.

In the last 24 hours, 1,400 new confirmed cases were reported in the country, bringing the total number to over 333,000 with 10,007 deaths, according to the Greek Ministry of Health.

Read more: Greece detects first case of COVID-19 variant prevalent in India

Switzerland on Saturday reported its first case of the variant, while Belgian authorities said on Thursday that a group of 20 Indian nursing students who arrived from Paris had tested positive for the variant.

India's capital New Delhi extended its lockdown on Sunday as the country's COVID-19 crisis grew with infections and deaths hitting record highs.

A number of countries have suspended flights from India.

(With input from AFP)

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