Rhodes: 298 gastroenteritis cases in 20 days

298 cases of gastroenteritis were recorded in Rhodes from August 1 to August 20, 2026, according to a report by lawandorder.gr. This figure is higher compared to the 201 cases recorded during the same period in August 2025, meaning over 90 more cases this year. The cases were recorded at Rhodes General Hospital, where patients with gastroenteritis symptoms were admitted throughout August. The comparison between the two years, as presented in the report, reflects a noticeable increase in patient admissions with the same symptoms within a span of twenty days. The recording of cases at a single hospital unit on the island provides a preliminary picture of the extent of the phenomenon, without ruling out the possibility of additional cases that have not been officially recorded.

The National Organization of Public Health sent a document on August 24, 2026, requesting extensive checks on the water supply network of Rhodes city. The document was communicated to the Region of Southern Aegean, the Decentralized Administration of the Aegean, and the Municipality of Rhodes, according to the report. EODY’s intervention in Rhodes comes during the same summer when the organization had announced 157 cases of West Nile virus at the national level, a fact that demonstrates the intensity of seasonal public health surveillance this year on more than one front. The communication of the document to three different administrative levels shows the extent of the issue that the organization is setting for investigation.

The increase in cases is occurring amid the peak tourism season in Rhodes, when the island receives a large number of visitors alongside its permanent residents. An issue affecting the city’s water supply network has a direct impact on both residents and tourists staying in the area during the summer. The municipal authority of Rhodes has been formally notified by EODY and is being called to cooperate in the requested checks. No official specific cause for the increase in gastroenteritis cases has been announced, nor has the increase been officially linked to a specific point in the water network. This uncertainty leaves the question open until the checks requested by the organization are completed. This period of summer is considered critical for the operation of water infrastructure in island destinations, where the population is multiplied due to tourism traffic.

The checks on the water supply network of Rhodes city are expected to be conducted by the competent services following EODY’s request. So far, no timeline has been announced, nor have results of any sampling in the network. Recently on the island there were also opening of a clinic in Gennadii, a separate development in the field of health for the region. The gastroenteritis case remains under monitoring by the competent public health authorities, with residents and visitors to the island awaiting official information on the results of the checks.