×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Thursday
05
Feb 2026
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

“Clelia, you have breast cancer. Come back to Athens” – A moving personal testimony

Lagarde: International uncertainty is a key risk factor for the Eurozone

Giannis Panagopoulos: Who is the “eternal” GSSE president under investigation for embezzling €2.1 million

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

“Clelia, you have breast cancer. Come back to Athens” – A moving personal testimony

February 5, 2026

Lagarde: International uncertainty is a key risk factor for the Eurozone

February 5, 2026

Giannis Panagopoulos: Who is the “eternal” GSSE president under investigation for embezzling €2.1 million

February 5, 2026

Greece – Italy 15-8: Greece “sinks” Italy and wins bronze at the European Water Polo Championship – Video

February 5, 2026

Researchers reconstruct the scents of ancient civilizations

February 5, 2026

Cuba to the US: Yes to dialogue, but we will not discuss regime change

February 5, 2026

Hellenic Heritage: The new digital hub connecting visitors with 350 archaeological sites and museums

February 5, 2026

The 12th International Summer University on Greek language, culture & media in Sydney

February 5, 2026
All News

> Lifestyle

“Clelia, you have breast cancer. Come back to Athens” – A moving personal testimony

Clelia Yarimoglou, editor at ygeiamou, shares her own personal testimony about her battle with breast cancer

February 5, 2026

Emma Stone explains why she doesn’t have Instagram: “I am protective of my mental health”

February 5, 2026

Eleni Foureira: ‘I would like to collaborate with Anna Vissi’

February 3, 2026

Grammy 2026: The big winners of the music night, Kendrick Lamar’s record, and surprises

February 2, 2026

Jessie J: ‘Cancer was the harshest thing my breasts ever had to endure’

January 30, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα