Germany lists Greece and the Netherlands as coronavirus risk areas - RKI

FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective face mask stands with to her luggage as passengers from Germany and Switzerland arrive at the Heraklion airport, during the country's official tourism season opening, on the island of Crete, Greece, May 15, 2021. REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis

Germany has declared all of Greece a coronavirus risk area, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said on Friday, which means that tourists and returning German nationals need to present a negative test to avoid quarantine.

The RKI also listed all of the Netherlands, expect the overseas territories of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, Aruba and Curacao, as a risk area as well.

On Monday, the Greek government ordered the mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers and nursing home staff following a steep rise in new COVID-19 infections in the middle of the vital tourism season.

FILE PHOTO: People walk past restaurants and bars as the Netherlands battles to control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Amsterdam, Netherlands October 14 2020. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

Greece reported 2,794 new infections on Thursday, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 450,512. COVID-related deaths have reached 12,819.

(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Douglas Busvine)