Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis issued a stern warning on Wednesday about the very real possibility of imposing restrictions on the Aegean island of Ios, after a surge of Covid-19 cases.

Speaking to Skai radio, he said that more than 30 police officers are being dispatched to the party island from Attica and “to enforce the measures.”

“It is a small island with thousands of people in the streets. There is a visible danger that the island will be closed down,” he said adding that “penalties have already been imposed on professionals who did not comply with the measures.”

Referring to Mykonos where restrictions had been imposed earlier this month, he said that more than 180 police officers have been sent there.

He also referred to reports of big parties on the islands, saying that organizing such potentially super-spreaders events is “criminal.”

The island of Paros is reportedly also at risk of having restrictions imposed if infection numbers do not go down.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.