With the number of new infections rising, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control placed all of Greece in the red on its updated Covid-19 map on Thursday, with Crete, the Ionian Islands, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades in dark red — meaning all but essential travel to and from the region is discouraged.

Greek health authorities announced 3,273 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, which brought the total number confirmed in the country since the start of the pandemic to 550,459.

A total of 286 patients remain intubated in intensive care units from 282 a day ago. Their median age is 65.

Authorities also recorded 20 more deaths from Covid-19, with the overall number of fatalities reaching 13,298.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.