Virus identity remains a mystery
One day after ordering all schools, kindergartens, universities and technical colleges to close until the end of the week, the government yesterday added dance, music and drama schools and frontistiria (private coaching colleges) to the list of educational institutions to shut down. The measure, which the health minister described as an «extremely preventive measure» on Tuesday, is aimed at limiting the spread of a virus that is suspected of causing 39 cases of potentially fatal heart inflammations. Three people have died. Doctors have diferred over whether this is an epidemic. Seven new cases were reported yesterday, down from 13 on Tuesday, prompting officials to suggest that the problem was easing. Prof. Giorgos Saroglou, who heads the Special Infections Control Center (KEEL), said that if numbers remained at the same level in the following days this could be described as a decline. He said the identity of the virus was not yet clear. «A huge effort is being made by all the authorized laboratories and we hope that we will have results as soon as possible.» Four laboratories were working on identifying the virus, which reports have said might be coxsackie, a common virus that usually affects the intestine but can spread to other organs and whose symptoms are usually those of the common flu. In rare cases, it can cause inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and also its surrounding membranes (perimyocarditis). Pavlos Toutouzas, a professor of cardiology, told Kathimerini that major Athens hospitals had not noted a larger than usual number of myocarditis and perimyocarditis cases. He said there were 5-15 such cases each year. People have been warned that they should seek medical advice if a case of flu persists with high, persistent fever, a cough, diarrhea, intense muscle pain, pain in the stomach, chest pain and breathing problems. The Athens Municipality announced it had set up a help line (010.251.5510-1) to operate from 9.30 a. m. to 5.30 p. m. Cypriot authorities temporarily suspended school trips to Greece, following calls by worried parents and local politicians. About 600 Cypriot children were due to leave for Greece yesterday and today. Hundreds of people fearing that they might have the viral infection jammed outpatient clinics across the country yesterday. People were advised to exercise strict personal hygiene, such as washing their hands after using the toilet, and avoid crowded spaces. The Church reacted furiously to the suggestion that holy communion could be dangerous. «It should be considered blasphemous, at least, to consider it possible that epidemic ailments could be transferred through holy communion and endanger human life,» the Athens Archbishopric said. Top cardiologists met to discuss the situation and issued a call to the public not to worry. Of the new cases registered yesterday, three were in Attica, with one each in Thessaloniki, western-central Greece (Sterea) and the Peloponnese. The seventh patient had been treated in March and was back home. Among those still being treated before yesterday, 14 were improving and eight were in stable condition and remained under observation.
