Two independent laboratories have confirmed the case, even though neither the patient nor her close contacts have recently traveled abroad.
As a precaution, 26 people are in home quarantine, and a total of 85 individuals are under epidemiological supervision.
No new public guidelines issued in Poland amid cholera diagnosis
In a joint statement, Poland’s Chief Sanitary Inspector Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski and the National Consultant for Infectious Diseases Prof. Miłosz Parczewski said that no additional public health guidelines have been issued at this time.
Disinfection procedures have been implemented at the hospital in Stargard, and the hospital has temporarily suspended new admissions and visits to the internal medicine ward.
Individuals under quarantine or sanitary supervision are required to monitor their health and immediately contact a doctor or health authorities if concerning symptoms appear.
Poland confirms first cholera case in six years
Over the past weekend, Polish health authorities reported the country’s first confirmed case of cholera in six years.
The infected woman, who had not traveled abroad, initially sought treatment at a county hospital in Stargard due to severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
She was later transferred to the Department of Infectious, Tropical, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Diseases at the Regional Hospital in Szczecin.
Molecular testing conducted twice confirmed the presence of Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera.
Cholera - key facts
Photo: WHO
Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by Vibrio cholerae, primarily spread through contaminated water or food. The most dangerous strains (O1 and O139) produce a toxin responsible for epidemics and pandemics.
Symptoms usually appear within 3 to 5 days and include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and weakness.
Cholera is common in developing countries, with recent outbreaks in Haiti, Ghana, Mexico, and Yemen. From January to November 2024, over 733,000 cases and 5,162 deaths were reported globally across 33 countries (WHO).
In Europe, 12–51 cases are reported annually, all linked to travel to tropical regions.
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Source: GIS/IAR/WHO