At least 100 cases of gastroenteritis have been reported in Chania, Crete, with reports suggesting there is also a surge in another region of Greece.
Scientists have pointed to norovirus as the primary cause suspected for viral gastroenteritis, although the cases have emerged outside its usual season. Teams from the National Public Health Organization (EODY) are conducting tests on the city’s water system to rule out any other possible causes.
The possibility that the wave of intense gastrointestinal cases is foodborne has been largely dismissed. This conclusion was supported early on by the fact that the individuals treated at Chania Hospital’s emergency department did not share close contact or common habits, such as eating at the same restaurant or attending the same public event.
However, EODY officials have since observed transmission within families or among friends, forming small clusters of cases. This is not surprising to scientists, as norovirus is known to spread easily from person to person and through contact with contaminated surfaces.
Typically, norovirus outbreaks occur during the winter months, from November to April, but this year it appears to be defying its usual seasonal pattern. For example, in August, dozens of gastroenteritis cases were reported on Gavdos Island, prompting a water quality check by local authorities. Subsequent analyses confirmed that the outbreak was solely attributed to norovirus.
A the start of the week, sixty people with symptoms of viral gastroenteritis were urgently admitted to a hospital in Crete on Tuesday.
