Thessaloniki: Mourning and Disinfection After a 5-Year-Old’s Death from Streptococcus

A somber mood engulfs the Eukarpia neighborhood following the tragic death of a 5-year-old girl on Tuesday (May 20, 2025), caused by a severe bloodstream infection. The kindergarten where the child attended has remained closed to allow for thorough disinfection. Despite completing the cleaning process, very few parents sent their children back to school today, according to thesstoday.gr. Parents appear to be gripped by panic following the child’s death. Out of approximately 60 students, only five attended class today. “We disinfected the school yesterday and kept it closed. Today, only five out of about 60 children came to school. Guidelines have been issued regarding proper hygiene practices, personal protective measures, handwashing, room ventilation, proper disinfection of surfaces and frequently used objects, and restricting sick individuals to home care,” said Mayor of Pafou Melas, Dimitris Aslanidis. Professor of Pulmonology and Infectious Diseases at AUTH, Ioannis Kioumis, warns about the dangers of group A streptococcal infections that claimed the young girl’s life, emphasizing the importance of timely diagnosis. “The beta-hemolytic streptococcus of group A can cause serious tonsillitis and heart problems. When it causes sepsis, meaning the bacteria enters the bloodstream, it can lead to multi-organ failure and ultimately death. It is something that can be dangerous in several cases, and the key is to diagnose streptococcal infection early so antibiotics can be administered. If given promptly, the condition resolves without severe consequences; however, if untreated and progresses to septic shock, the body activates the sepsis mechanism independently of the bacteria’s presence,” explained the infectious disease specialist.