ATHENS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 asylum seekers hosted in a hotel in the southern Greek town of Kranidi have tested positive for the coronavirus, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Tuesday, citing the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.

"There is no reason to panic, whatever must be done will be done according to the protocol," Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Crisis Management at the Ministry of Citizen Protection, Nikos Hardalias, told AMNA after talks with local officials at Kranidi.

A total of 470 asylum seekers, mainly from Africa, were staying at the hotel which is used as a refugee accommodation facility.

The place has been quarantined since Thursday as a precautionary measure after a member of staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus, although the specific individual had not been working in the last 12 days, according to AMNA.

The Health Ministry announced on Monday that a 28-year-old pregnant asylum seeker from Somalia who had been accommodated in the hotel also tested positive.

On Monday, Greece announced a total of 2,245 confirmed infections, including 116 deaths, since Feb. 26 when the first case was diagnosed in the country.

In the past few weeks, confirmed cases have been reported in two other refugee camps near Athens.

Since March 23, the country has been in lockdown which is expected to be lifted on April 27. Enditem

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