Greek authorities have unveiled plans to restrict the movement of migrants living in overcrowded camps on its islands in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
Over the next 30 days, people living in camps such as Lesbos will be allowed to temporarily exit the facilities only in small groups, every hour between 7am and 7pm, in order to obtain food and supplies from nearby towns and villages.
The restrictions, which will also mean only one person from each family will be able to leave the camps, comes as the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country rose to five.
The latest move comes after Greece banned new arrivals coming to migrant camps at the start of this month.
Greece will restrict the movement of migrants living in its camps to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: Refugees and migrants gather in the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece
The move, which will see those living in camps only be allowed to temporarily exit the facilities in small groups, comes as the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to 418. Pictured: New migrants wait at Moria camp in Lesbos
The plans will mean migrants will be able to leave camp every hour between 7am and 7pm in order to obtain food and supplies. Pictured: Migrants are examined by medics in Malakasa, Greece
Migrants who reached its shores after March 1 will be transferred to the mainland in the coming days. Visitors are not allowed in either, the ministry said.
In addition to the five deaths it has registered, Greece has confirmed 418 cases of COVID-19, including one on the island of Lesbos, where the overcrowded Moria camp operates.
There have been no infection cases at any of the camps, the ministry said.
Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said: ‘Protecting public health at any cost, for the benefit of residents on the islands and in camps, is our priority.’
On Tuesday, Greece’s migration ministry also announced they would be placing migrant camps on a two-week shutdown to visitors in a bid to slow down the progression of the pandemic.
A statement by the ministry read: ‘Visits (to camps) by individuals and organisations are suspended for at least 14 days.
‘Entry will be allowed only to staff and there will be a compulsory temperature check for new arrivals.’
The plans come after authorities banned new migrants coming to camps at the start of March. Pictured: Migrants gather in Moria refugee camp
This week, Greek authorities announced that they would be placing migrant camps on a two-week shutdown to visitors. Pictured: Migrants gather in Moria refugee camp in Lesbos
Pictured: A young boy walks through a migrant camp on the island of Lesbos, a Greek island off the coast of Turkey
More than 40,000 asylum-seekers are living in migrant centres at five Aegean islands.
The conservative government, which came to power in July on promises to be tougher on migration, wants to replace all existing camps on the islands with new detention centres.
Camps on the islands of Leros and Kos will be turned immediately into closed-type facilities, where entry and exit will be limited, the ministry said.
The new centre on the island of Samos will be smaller in size than initially planned, it added, in order to speed up its construction.
Last week, medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged Greece to immediately evacuate migrants from the camps due to a high risk of the coronavirus spreading swiftly among people living in squalid conditions.
On Wednesday, police on Greece’s border were seen using tear gas and water cannons to push back the hundreds of migrants clustered on the Turkish side who attempted to break down a border fence to enter Greece near the Kastanies border crossing.
The conservative Greek government has promised to be tougher on migration since it came to power in July. Pictured: Refugees and migrants gather as riot police guard a gate in Moria refugee camp
Pictured: A migrant child stand next to tents next to the Moria camp, on the island of Lesbos, Greece
Pictured: A woman wears a protective face mask as she walks through a street in Athens
Greek police said Turkish authorities also fired tear gas at Greek forces, and migrants later lit fires on the Turkish side of the fence.
Similar clashes occurred before dawn Wednesday, lasting for about two hours.
An estimated 2,000 migrants are still camped out on the Greek-Turkish border, weeks after Turkey declared its borders to Europe open and encouraged migrants and refugees living in the country to try crossing into European Union member Greece.