The National Public Health Organization sent a signal to the medical associations in Greece about an increase in parvovirus infections among children in kindergartens in Thessaloniki, BNT reported.
A 3.5-year-old child died after developing myocarditis from parvovirus B19 infection.
11 children aged 3 and 5 were infected. All of them have elevated troponin levels and symptoms of acute myocarditis.
For most people, parvovirus B19 infection is indistinguishable from other minor illnesses. Many of those infected have no symptoms or have mild flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, low-grade fever, headache or stomach upset, and many may not know they have been infected with parvovirus B19.
Parvovirus is sometimes called fifth disease because it is the fifth of six common childhood illnesses that can cause rashes.