A case of cholera in a senior woman in Stargard. The patient had not left the country.

Currently, we do not know the source of the patient's infection with the cholera virus. An epidemiological investigation is underway to determine the cause of infection and the origin of the pathogen, said Dr. Irena Agata Łucka, District Sanitary Inspector in Stargard, on Sunday.

Inspector Łucka confirmed the occurrence of infection with cholera strains in a patient who was staying in the internal medicine ward of the SPWZOZ in Stargard and is currently a patient in the infectious diseases ward of the provincial hospital in Szczecin.

"Currently, we don't know the vector of infection. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of infection and the origin of the pathogen," she noted.

She announced that, due to the confirmed cholera case, procedures were initiated to identify the group of people who had contact with the patient. Those in closest contact were placed under quarantine and epidemiological surveillance, and recommendations for self-observation were issued.

The last case of cholera in Poland was recorded in Świnoujście in 2019. This is the first such case in Stargard.

By decision of the director of the hospital in Stargard, admissions to the internal medicine ward were suspended immediately after a patient tested positive for the cholera virus. The director also suspended visits to patients under epidemiological surveillance. The ward was recommended to be disinfected.

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Earlier information

Chief Sanitary Inspector Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski announced on Sunday that an elderly patient in Stargard had been diagnosed with cholera. He emphasized that the woman had not left the country. Currently, more than 20 people who had contact with the patient are in quarantine.

"We have a patient who has been diagnosed with cholera," Chief Sanitary Inspector Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski told TVN24. He added that the infectious disease was diagnosed in a senior citizen in Stargard (West Pomeranian Voivodeship), who experienced, among other symptoms, severe diarrhea. The presence of cholera was confirmed by two tests.

Dr. Grzesiowski emphasized that the woman had not left the country, nor had anyone in her immediate circle. He explained that cases of this disease have occurred in Poland, but they involve people who have returned from foreign travel.

"Cholera is considered a particularly dangerous disease due to its high contagiousness. Due to the severity of the disease, we had to decide to isolate this patient. She was transferred to a specialized infectious diseases ward in Szczecin," he said. He added that over 20 people who had contact with the patient are in quarantine.

Cholera is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It spreads epidemically through water contaminated by patients and carriers. Its main symptoms are acute, watery diarrhea and vomiting, leading to dehydration. Without appropriate treatment, it can lead to death in just a few hours. Cholera is treated with antibiotics and intensive rehydration, including intravenous rehydration.

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