The 250 gastroenteritis cases reported since August 12 on Kea Island are not cause for concern, emphasized Professor of Hygiene and Epidemiology at EKPA Medical School, Gkikas Magiorkinis. Speaking to ERT, he noted that norovirus is the usual culprit for summer gastroenteritis outbreaks.
Read: Kea: Surge in gastroenteritis cases, EODY team deployed – Municipality announcement
A team from the National Public Health Organization (EODY) is already on the island conducting epidemiological investigations, as the outbreak has reached 30 daily cases. Gkikas Magiorkinis emphasized that “the most likely candidate to cause such an epidemic is norovirus, though it could also be rotavirus. It spreads quite easily as it’s resistant to antiseptics and isn’t killed by simple wipes we use on our hands.” “This causes large epidemics that we periodically see not only on small islands but also in cities,” he explained.
“It’s nothing rare”
“These types of infections are nothing rare. During summer months, small epidemics occur that are usually caused by viral infections transmitted through close contact. They don’t necessarily need to be linked to consumption of food or water,” he added. “It’s not something that should interrupt our vacations – with some prevention, we can manage it,” Gkikas Magiorkinis emphasized.
“Proper hand washing is essential for managing this specific infection. People with gastroenteritis should isolate themselves, as transmission occurs even with minimal viral load,” he added.
The Professor of Hygiene and Epidemiology at EKPA Medical School noted: “I don’t even know if Kea’s water is considered potable. In any case, when such an outbreak exists, it’s good for people to consume bottled water for a short period until authorities provide updates. Food poisoning doesn’t spread easily on such a large scale, but someone preparing food could transmit the virus through meals. This would be quite limited and wouldn’t affect an entire island.”
