ATHENS, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Greece is making significant steps in increasing its capacity in quick and reliable diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus, and this is a key in the government's planning to lift the lockdown, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.
"It is very important that we manage to increase significantly our capacity to conduct screening tests, as we will start to examine the gradual lifting of confinement restrictions for society and economy. We must be able to locate any new cases very quickly and with reliability," the PM explained during a visit to the National Center for Blood Donation in Athens, where tests for the coronavirus are conducted.
"In order to achieve this, we need to increase our capacity to carry out molecular screening tests and you are offering us this capability here with speed and credibility," he said speaking to Greek national broadcaster ERT.
Greece has so far carried out 50,771 COVID-19 diagnostic tests, Greek Health Ministry novel coronavirus epidemic spokesperson and professor of infectious diseases Sotirios Tsiodras told a daily press briefing shortly later.
Tsiodras, who was among experts welcoming the prime minister at the center on Wednesday, has repeatedly stated in the past few weeks that Greece opted from the beginning for molecular analysis instead of the rapid coronavirus antibody test.
The Health Ministry on Wednesday announced 22 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greece in the last 24 hours and one new death.
So far, the COVID-19 infections in the country has reached 2,192, including 72 in intensive care units and 102 deaths.
Greece has been in a nationwide lockdown since March 23, which according to the government will last until April 27.
On Wednesday Greece's Civil Aviation Authority announced that as part of preventive measures against the further spread of the virus, the suspension of flights to and from airports in Italy, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany has been extended until May 15. Enditem
