Athens, July 7 (TIWN) Greek authorities have announced the reintroduction of restrictions on entertainment venues following a recent spike in new Covid-19 infections.

As of Thursday, all restaurants, cafe-bars and clubs will be serving strictly seated customers, Nikos Hardalias, deputy minister for civil protection and crisis management, said in a televised statement on Greek national broadcaster ERT, warning that violators will face heavy fines and forced closure. 

The measure was imposed after the country saw large crowds fill the entertainment venues in the past few days, which has been linked with the increase in confirmed daily cases of the novel coronavirus, he explained. 

Earlier on Tuesday, the National Public Health Organization (EODY) announced 1,797 new infections and 8 deaths over the past 24 hours, as well as 168 patients on ventilators in hospitals across Greece.