Gastroenteritis outbreak: more than 100 people hospitalized, one death

Over the past few days more than 100 people in the prefecture of Magnisia suffered from symptoms of gastroenteritis, and one infected elderly woman died on Monday.

One hundred people, including elderly people and children, hospitalized to hospitals in Volos, Larisa and Velestino. There is reason to believe that public water is contaminated with salmonella bacteria. Residents in the area have been warned to use public water only in the toilet and avoid any other use, such as drinking tap water, cooking or doing laundry, until the exact causes of gastroenteritis are determined.

Bottled water was distributed to local residents on Monday. Kindergartens and primary schools are closed until further notice. Monday morning local newspaper taxydromos.gr, citing information from the General Hospital in Volos, the capital of the prefecture, reported that 34 patients had been admitted to the hospital since May 27. Among them are 20 children and 14 adults. Of these, 12 children were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic, of 5 adults, 4 in pathology B and 1 in the intensive care unit.

As of June 3, 8 children and 3 adults remain in the hospital, one is in the intensive care unit. A 91-year-old woman from the Almiros area was hospitalized with septic shock and symptoms of gastroenteritis early on Sunday evening and died 12 hours later.

State broadcaster ERT said about 80 people were admitted to hospitals in the area and confirmed that the first water samples tested over the weekend showed the presence of salmonella. Teams of health officials have been sent to the area and are reportedly going door-to-door to record cases of infection where patients have not gone to hospital.

By Monday afternoon, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 87. Most of them affected residents of the villages of Risomilo and Stefanovikio. On Monday, the Volos prosecutor's office intervened in the case and ordered an investigation into water pollution in these two villages and the appointment of those responsible, if any.

“Feces and salmonella were detected in wells, a reservoir and at selected points in the regional network,” the national health organization EODY said in a statement. Sample collection and laboratory tests are ongoing.

According to Mega TV Live News Magazine, salmonella was also found in samples taken from hospitalized patients.

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