Over the past week in Greece positivity rates for Covid-19 marked an increase when compared to the previous week, but hospitalization rates were down, according to the weekly report by Greece’s National Public Health Organization (EODY).

There were 771 hospitalizations between August 12-18, which is lower than the weekly average 840 over the past four weeks.

And intubations were also down, coming in at 9 as opposed to the weekly average over the same period of 12.

Currently, 27 Covid-19 patients are intubated.

As for deaths related to the virus, there were unfortunatley 29 the past week but this number also seems to be decreasing as the weekly average over the past four weeks was 42.

EODY points out that the BA.2.86 variant, which carries at least one of the F456L and R346T mutations, has become predominant in detections.

This category of variant strains has not been associated with an increased risk of severe disease.

When comparing summer 2024 with last summer, EODY notes that the the viral load in urban wastewater indicates that the summer upward trend began earlier, with levels overall remaining lower compared to last summer’s wave of Covid.

Weekly data showed a decrease in the circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in eight of the ten regions tested, while two regions recorded an increase.