×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Saturday
06
Dec 2025
weather symbol
Athens 13°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Greece

Concern over continuous cases smallpox

The President of the National Vaccination Committee, Maria Theodoridou, urges parents to check their children's vaccinations - Who is at greater risk?

Newsroom February 14 11:37

“The parents should open their children’s health records and check their vaccination coverage. The same should be done for those under 50 years old. They should ask their parents if they have had the disease or if they have been vaccinated with both doses for smallpox”, was tThe recommendation of the honorary professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and president of the National Vaccination Committee, Maria Theodoridou, summarizing the problem and the solution regarding the reappearance of smallpox, which now also affects Greece.

The “forgotten childhood disease” of up to two decades ago has sparked epidemics in Europe, alarming Greek health authorities.

Five adults in Crete and Thessaloniki, including medical personnel, are the cases counted in our country so far. All were unvaccinated.

Moreover, until last Friday, one was still hospitalized.

The 3 epidemics that hit Greece

Three epidemics, 4,151 cases, four deaths. That’s the tally for our country regarding smallpox over the past 19 years.

The indigenous infection, thanks to vaccination, is essentially considered “forgotten” as cases are sporadic.

However, it remains a threat, with several European countries experiencing epidemic outbreaks attributed to vaccination, and consequently immunological, gaps during the years of the pandemic.

According to the updated data from the National Public Health Organization, during the period 2004-2023, three smallpox epidemics occurred in Greece in the years 2005-2006, 2010-2011, and 2017-2018, reported through the mandatory reporting system to the Department of Diseases Preventable by Vaccination and Communicable Diseases of the NPHO, totaling 4,151 cases of smallpox.

See Also:

Beril Mckissic: My great-grandmother is from Thessaloniki, I am 60% Greek (video)

Who is at greater risk?

>Related articles

Papastavrou: The ministerial meeting of the Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the USA group in Washington in April

European Commission handbook depicts the East Aegean islands and the Dodecanese as Turkish

Anger in Cyprus over the UN Secretary General’s envoy: She described the occupied territories as the “Turkish” side of Cyprus

Over the past 19 years, the disease has shown the highest incidence in the age group 0-4 years, with an average annual reported incidence of 15.6 cases per 100,000 population, followed by the age group 5-14 years with an average annual reported incidence of 5.11 cases per 100,000 population.

The average annual reported incidence in other age groups ranged from 1.96 (in the age group 15-24 years) to 0.01 cases per 100,000 population in the age group >64 years.

The average annual reported incidence was similar between men and women (men: 1.95/100,000 population, women: 1.86/100,000 population).

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#greece#health#medicine#smallpox#vaccination
> More Greece

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Papastavrou: The ministerial meeting of the Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the USA group in Washington in April

December 5, 2025

European Commission handbook depicts the East Aegean islands and the Dodecanese as Turkish

December 5, 2025

Anger in Cyprus over the UN Secretary General’s envoy: She described the occupied territories as the “Turkish” side of Cyprus

December 5, 2025

From MAGA to Make Europe Great Again, with support for patriotic parties and a “stop” on mass immigration – How to stop the onslaught of China

December 5, 2025

Billionaire Andrej Babis reappointed Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on Tuesday

December 5, 2025

Axios: Trump will announce by Christmas the new governance structure for Gaza

December 5, 2025

Bolsonaro backs his eldest son as presidential candidate in the 2026 elections

December 5, 2025

US Ultimatum to the EU: Take on the majority of NATO spending by 2027

December 5, 2025
All News

> World

From MAGA to Make Europe Great Again, with support for patriotic parties and a “stop” on mass immigration – How to stop the onslaught of China

The new strategy defines US foreign policy for the remainder of Trump’s term, with “America First” emphasizing the strengthening of US dominance in the world

December 5, 2025

Billionaire Andrej Babis reappointed Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on Tuesday

December 5, 2025

Axios: Trump will announce by Christmas the new governance structure for Gaza

December 5, 2025

Bolsonaro backs his eldest son as presidential candidate in the 2026 elections

December 5, 2025

US Ultimatum to the EU: Take on the majority of NATO spending by 2027

December 5, 2025
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2025 Πρώτο Θέμα