Fear of epidemic closes schools
The government yesterday ordered all schools, universities, kindergartens and other educational establishments to close until the end of the week as a mystery virus spread across the country and was blamed for an increasing number of potentially fatal heart inflammations. Health Minister Alekos Papadopoulos, at an emergency news conference, stressed that this was «an extremely preventive measure.» He said that he had approved the school closings after receiving information from the Special Infections Control Center (KEEL) of the growing number of cases. This was only hours after the government spokesman had said there was no reason for alarm. Papadopoulos said the new information prompted his move and he called on people not to panic and news media not to exaggerate. Asked whether Greece was facing an epidemic, with 13 of 32 cases of suspected myocarditis or perimyocarditis being recorded yesterday alone, Papadopoulos said: «In principle, yes. But first this must be confirmed by the results of the special investigations.» KEEL President Giorgos Saroglou said that the pathogen virus had not yet been identified, so it was not clear if the same one was behind all the cases. He stressed that the best medicine was prevention, in the form of personal hygiene and the frequent washing of hands. Hospitals were placed on the alert to deal with a larger number of patients. Queues at outpatient clinics grew as people sought treatment, afraid that they might have picked up the virus. The Health Ministry warned people to wash their hands and avoid concentrations of people, in order to avoid contagion with the virus. Defense Ministry officials were on alert in case the virus spread to the military, where, like schools, large groups of people are concentrated. Army exercises were postponed, even though no major ones were scheduled. No official announcement had been made by last night with regard to the source of the problem, but it is believed to be the coxsackie virus, a common virus which which most often affects the intestine but also can spread to the respiratory system and other parts of the body. It usually has the symptoms of a common flu but in rare cases it can cause myocarditis and perimyocarditis – or potentially fatal inflammation of the heart muscle and, in the latter, also of the surrounding membranes. Two women have died of such problems in Crete and a third person in the northwestern city of Ioannina. The virus can also cause strong muscular pain, fever, coughing, diarrhea and chest pains. The Health Ministry said that from April 18, when incidents began to be recorded, there were 32 cases of respiratory problems with indications of myocarditis or perimyocarditis – of these, 13 were registered yesterday alone. Four of the 32 cases involve children. Geographically, 13 cases were recorded in Athens, six in Crete, five in the Aegean Islands, three in the Peloponnese, three in the Ionian Islands and two in Epirus in the northwest. The ministry noted that children were less susceptible to coming down with the virus than adults and that the schools were closed to prevent children from possibly spreading it as agents.
