The Greek National Public Health Organization (EODY) has placed the region of Ilia, located in the peninsula of Peloponnese under close supervision following three cases of streptococcus infections, two of which were fatal.
A task force from the National Public Health Organization (EODY) has traveled to Ilia and is conducting random blood sample collections from various cases at the Pyrgos Hospital.
One of the cases concerns a 48-year-old man who was initially believed to have died from a spider bite. However, after a subsequent toxicological test and an autopsy, the head of the Patras Forensic Service, stated in her report that the cause of death was streptococcus.
Authorities believe that the spider bite might not have been coincidental, as two bite marks found on his leg suggest that the insect or rodent that bit him may have also transmitted the streptococcus bacterium to the victim.
The second case concerns a 45-year-old visitor to Ilia at the site of Ancient Olympia. According to reports from public broadcaster ERT, a team from EODY is currently in Ilia taking random blood samples from various cases at the Pyrgos Hospital.
The EODY task force is collecting random samples from patients in the hospital in an effort to determine whether there is a spread of the streptococcus bacterium or if these are isolated incidents.