Greek health authorities announced 5 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Tuesday morning. Total number of infections reached 89. Hundreds of schools temporary closed.

Four of the new cases were in contact with the group of pilgrims from Peloponnese who had traveled to Israel and returned to the country end of February.

One case is “imported” from London.

27 people are hospitalized, one of them with severe pneumonia at the University Hospital in Patras. The rest of the infected are in “house isolation.”

Among the total confirmed cases, there are four for which authorities could not identify the source of contamination, health authorities said during a press conference on Monday.

The constantly rising number has forced Greece to take additional measures like banning events with the participation of more than 1,000 people.

On daily basis authorities temporarily close schools of all education levels, either because a student or a parent or a teacher has been tested positive. Municipalities close schools for 1-2 days for preventive disinfection.

700 schools in the prefectures of Ilia and Achaia in Peloponnese and the island of Zakynthos remain closed due to 60 confirmed cases.

Authorities warned on Monday of “a further increase of coronavirus infections are expected in the country.”

Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias emphasized the “personal responsibility ” and called on “people belonging to the vulnerable groups of the society and those with flu symptoms to stay home and restrict their movements, in order to protect vulnerable people from COVID-10.”

Ζητώ από όλους μεγαλύτερη υπευθυνότητα για να περιοριστεί η διάδοση της νόσου στη χώρα μας. Ζητώ από τις ευπαθείς ομάδες & όσους έχουν συμπτώματα γρίπης να κάτσουν σπίτι τους. Είναι υποχρέωση & καθήκον όλων μας, η προστασία των ευπαθών ομάδων. #COVID2019 https://t.co/96KwrhMlXn pic.twitter.com/ASCJASjN0d — Vassilis Kikilias (@Vkikilias) March 9, 2020

“The next two months will be crucial,” and that is why “we all have to take responsibility,” Kikkilias said at the press conference

Spokesman Tsiodras said that vulnerable groups are:

people over 70, with chronic cardiovascular, respiratory problems, diabetes patients and those suffering from chronic immunosuppression.

He stressed that hygiene measures have to be followed in meetings of more than 50 people, citing the example of city councils. He added that all cultural or other events with over 1,000 people are cancelled, including the Athens Half-Marathon, scheduled for March 23.

Despite the health warnings, some Greeks tend to defy authorities and go around even if they were ordered to “house isolation,” like people in Pyrgos, West Peloponnese.

And not only the regular Greeks… The Holy Synod of the Greek Church ruled today that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted with the Holy Communion.