Greece locks down Muslim towns after emergence of coronavirus cases

World 15:45 26.03.2020

Greek authorities have quarantined a cluster of Muslim-majority towns and villages in the country's northeast after several cases and a death from the new coronavirus in the area, EDNews reports citing Press TV.

The area in Xanthi Prefecture was placed in lockdown as of Wednesday evening as nine people in the region overall have tested positive for the virus over the past six days, Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias told reporters.

"All residents have been temporarily confined at home. No exceptions are allowed," Hardalias said.

The center of the outbreak appears to be the small Pomak town of Ehinos, a community of about 2,500.

"Ehinos residents will be provided with food and medicine," Hardalias said.

Police were deployed Thursday on a bridge leading into town to enforce the lockdown, television footage showed.

One 72-year-old Ehinos man has died from the virus, local Mayor Ridvan Deli Huseyin told Antenna television.

"It's better to take some measures now than to cry about this later," said Huseyin, the mayor of the local administrative center of Miki.

The Pomaks are a Muslim group of Slavic origin who live mainly in neighboring Bulgaria.

They make up part of Greece's roughly 110,000-strong Muslim minority in the country's northeast bordering Turkey.

Many of them work as migrant industrial workers in other European countries.

According to state TV ERT, several hundred Pomak workers have recently returned from shipyards and construction work in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

"I estimate that around 1,000 workers returned from central Europe, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Many were in Turkey for work or study," Xanthi Mayor Manolis Tsepelis told Ethnos news portal.

"Many of them were carrying the virus without knowing," Tsepelis said.

"These are tightly-knit societies with large families," he said.

There are 22 deaths and 821 officially announced infections from the coronavirus in Greece, which has a population of 11 million.

Two mountain villages in northern Kozani Prefecture had also been placed under quarantine last week after several confirmed cases in the area.

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Trump administration threatens legal action against CNN for coverage of app to track immigration officers
12:15 03.07.2025
Trump says Lara Trump would be 'great' for North Carolina Senate seat
12:00 03.07.2025
Israel holding secret talks with Russia on Iran, Syria during ceasefire Report
11:45 03.07.2025
Sadyr Japarov to attend ECO summit in Azerbaijan
11:30 03.07.2025
US paves way to resume ethane exports to China amid trade truce
11:15 03.07.2025
Bali ferry sinking leaves at least four dead, dozens missing
11:00 03.07.2025
US contractors say their colleagues are firing live ammo as Palestinians seek food in Gaza
10:55 03.07.2025
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry: 'We call on Russian side to refrain from steps and statements that artificially aggravate situation'
10:30 03.07.2025
Scientists find natural substance stopping spread of cancer cells
10:15 03.07.2025
Haber Global: Azerbaijan hosts important forums ahead of ECO summit
10:00 03.07.2025
Number of Azerbaijanis arrested in Russia's Yekaterinburg reaches 8
09:45 03.07.2025
14 injured after skydiving plane crashes at New Jersey airport
09:20 03.07.2025
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev make press statements
09:10 03.07.2025
WB allocates $2M for preparation of sustainable development project in Baku
22:00 02.07.2025
Malaysia inviting Azerbaijan to participate in trade incentive program
21:45 02.07.2025
Malaysia expects further expansion of palm oil trade with Azerbaijan
21:30 02.07.2025
EBRD updates current portfolio of projects in Azerbaijan
21:30 02.07.2025
12 Georgian MPs lose parliamentary mandates
21:00 02.07.2025
Asan Jakishev: Kazakhstan strengthens status as key transit hub in region
20:40 02.07.2025
Zakharova: 'We call on Baku to take measures to return ties to level of strategic alliance'
20:30 02.07.2025
Kyrgyz ambassador to Azerbaijan also appointed as envoy to Georgia
20:20 02.07.2025
Bangladesh court sentences ex-Premier Hasina in contempt case; first conviction since ouster
20:00 02.07.2025
Russia says reduction or cessation of Western arms supplies to Ukraine brings conflict closer to its end
19:45 02.07.2025
Israeli prosecution cancels Netanyahu’s corruption trial sessions next week over US visit
19:30 02.07.2025
Mamasadyk Bakirov: Kyrgyzstan creates all necessary conditions for business
19:15 02.07.2025
Lachin holds panel session on Role of Women in Urban Development
19:00 02.07.2025
Central banks of Azerbaijan, Georgia mull implementation of systems supported by AI
18:45 02.07.2025
Azerbaijani military personnel participate in International Anatolian Eagle-2025
18:30 02.07.2025
Shavkat Mirziyoyev to open Uzbekistan park in Baku
18:15 02.07.2025
Peskov: Head of Russia's Investigative Committee, Azerbaijan's prosecutor general mull problematic issues
18:00 02.07.2025
South Korean ex-premier, minister summoned over Yoon’s martial law probe
17:45 02.07.2025
Trump says Israel has agreed to 'necessary conditions' to finalize 60-day ceasefire in Gaza
17:30 02.07.2025
DR Congo-Rwanda peace deal ‘does not address serious crimes committed in the east': Amnesty International
17:15 02.07.2025
China again urges its citizens to avoid travel to Iran
17:00 02.07.2025
Australia's Qantas says 6 million customer accounts accessed in cyber hack
16:45 02.07.2025
US accuses UN expert of ‘economic warfare’ over report on companies aiding Israeli occupation
16:30 02.07.2025
150 National Guard troops reassigned from Los Angeles security mission to wildfire response
16:00 02.07.2025
Israeli strikes kill another 29 Palestinians in Gaza Strip
15:45 02.07.2025
Revenue of China’s software industry grows by 11.2%
15:30 02.07.2025
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s one-on-one meeting with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev begins
15:20 02.07.2025
Hamısı