More than 250 confirmed cases of gastroenteritis have been recorded in Elassona, with health authorities on heightened alert as patients continue to arrive at the local Health Centre. By Tuesday afternoon (10 November), a total of 379 people had sought medical assistance after developing symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Of the patients who attended Elassona Health Centre, 125 had to remain in its short-stay observation unit for several hours to receive the necessary medical care and have their condition monitored. According to local media reports, there have been 261 confirmed cases of gastroenteritis in the area.

Meanwhile, Larissa Hospital has not recorded a similar increase in cases, with the number of patients attending its Emergency Department with gastrointestinal symptoms so far showing no significant rise.

An epidemiological investigation into the outbreak is now under way by the relevant health authorities, with the aim of identifying the cause behind the emergence of dozens of cases in the area.

Sources at the National Public Health Organisation (EODY) say that the information available so far has not pointed to any common social gathering or event attended by those who fell ill. Nor has a specific pathogen responsible for the outbreak been identified.

At the same time, laboratory tests are being carried out on samples from patients who required hospital treatment in order to identify the possible infectious agent.

As part of the investigation, the relevant authorities have also been asked to test the water supply in the area to determine whether there may be a link between it and the reported cases.