We are not concerned about the increase in cholera cases in countries neighbouring Cyprus, Minister of Health, Michalis Hadjipantela said on Wednesday, but noted that there should be no complacency.
The Minister was replying to questions following a Ministry of Health press release according to which there is an increase in cholera cases in countries neighboruing Cyprus, such as Syria and Lebanon.
He said that the Ministry is monitoring the situation and if additional measures must be taken then the public will be informed.
Noting that there has been no cholera case in Cyprus, he said that the Ministry’s press release was for those travelling in the above countries.
Replying to questions, he said that in case that Cyprus must purchase vaccines, it will do so, pointing out that the Ministry had taken action when there were cases of monkeypox in Cyprus.
He also noted that Cyprus was the first country to receive the monkeypox vaccines.
Meanwhile, Director of the medical services of the Ministry of Health Elisavet Constantinou told CNA on Wednesday, that there has not been a case of cholera in Cyprus recently, nor in the past, adding that since 2000, when the Ministry began keeping statistics, there have been no recorded cases.
She said that the press release was issued with the aim to inform citizens, especially those travelling to those countries.
She urged the public to take personal protective health measures and especially hand hygiene.
Travellers, she went on to say, should always take measures and be vigilant upon their return if they show symptoms.
She told CNA that in Cyprus there has not been a case of cholera recently, nor in the past, noting that two cases of cholera have been reported in Europe in the last year.
In addition, she said that the cases that are usually reported in Europe concern travellers who have visited countries where there are cases, mainly in Africa and Asia.
Cholera cases have recently been recorded in countries neighbouring Cyprus, specifically in Syria, which recorded 807 confirmed cases and 68 deaths, with several more suspected cases from the end of August until October 2022, as well as in Lebanon, where 5,912 cases were recorded with 23 deaths from early October 2022 to January 5, 2023.
Source: Cyprus News Agency