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Cases of leprosy reported in Romania and Croatia for the first time in over thirty years
By Maxime Dubernet de Boscq and Reuters
20 hours ago
Four cases of leprosy have been recorded in Romania and Croatia.
Neither country had been affected by the disease since 1981 for Romania and 1993 for Croatia. However, the risk of contagion remains low.
Romania and Croatia have announced the identification of cases of leprosy , a disease that has become extremely rare in these two European countries. These are the first confirmed cases of the disease in these European Union member states in over thirty years, with the last recorded cases dating back to 1981 and 1993 respectively.
According to Romanian health authorities, a total of four suspected cases have been identified, all involving Asian workers employed at a massage parlor in the northwestern city of Cluj-Napoca. Two other individuals are currently being tested, while the two confirmed cases—two Indonesian nationals aged 21 and 25—are receiving medical care, the Romanian Ministry of Health stated.
Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete reassured spa patrons that they had nothing to worry about, as leprosy requires prolonged exposure to be transmitted. According to his statements reported by the state news agency Agerpres, one of the patients had recently returned from Asia, where she had spent a month with her mother, who is currently hospitalized with the same disease. The spa has been closed as a precaution pending the results of the health investigation.
This situation comes as another European country has also reported an isolated case of leprosy. In Croatia, health authorities have confirmed the first case in over thirty years. The patient, a foreign worker from Nepal who has been living in the country for two years with his family, presented himself about ten days ago at the epidemiology department in Split with symptoms consistent with the disease.
No alarmism
“The case was quickly identified ,” a health official told authorities, adding that the patient is currently receiving treatment. Those who had close contact with the patient received preventative treatment, and no further positive cases have been detected. Despite the concern raised by these reports, the Romanian and Croatian Ministries of Health emphasize that there is no danger to the public, due to the low contagiousness of leprosy and the rapid implementation of treatment and prevention protocols.
"There is no need to panic. Even if cases are imported into our country (Italy, editor's note), we have all the necessary tools to manage the problem effectively. So, let's avoid clichés, alarmism and stigmatization, which ultimately harm everyone," Italian infectious disease specialist Matteo Bassetti told our colleagues at RaiNews .
Leprosy has the unfortunate distinction of being among the twenty tropical diseases considered neglected by the WHO. Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, this transmissible infection attacks the skin and peripheral nerves, with potentially very serious consequences, including physical deformities. Leprosy is still present in more than 120 countries worldwide, with nearly 200,000 cases reported each year, even though it "is curable and early treatment prevents disability ," the WHO points out. The number of people diagnosed with leprosy decreased by approximately 5% in 2024 compared to the previous year, falling from 182,815 cases in 2023 to 172,717 cases in 2024.
Cases of leprosy reported in Romania and Croatia for the first time in over thirty years
By Maxime Dubernet de Boscq and Reuters
20 hours ago
Four cases of leprosy have been recorded in Romania and Croatia.
Neither country had been affected by the disease since 1981 for Romania and 1993 for Croatia. However, the risk of contagion remains low.
Romania and Croatia have announced the identification of cases of leprosy , a disease that has become extremely rare in these two European countries. These are the first confirmed cases of the disease in these European Union member states in over thirty years, with the last recorded cases dating back to 1981 and 1993 respectively.
According to Romanian health authorities, a total of four suspected cases have been identified, all involving Asian workers employed at a massage parlor in the northwestern city of Cluj-Napoca. Two other individuals are currently being tested, while the two confirmed cases—two Indonesian nationals aged 21 and 25—are receiving medical care, the Romanian Ministry of Health stated.
Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete reassured spa patrons that they had nothing to worry about, as leprosy requires prolonged exposure to be transmitted. According to his statements reported by the state news agency Agerpres, one of the patients had recently returned from Asia, where she had spent a month with her mother, who is currently hospitalized with the same disease. The spa has been closed as a precaution pending the results of the health investigation.
This situation comes as another European country has also reported an isolated case of leprosy. In Croatia, health authorities have confirmed the first case in over thirty years. The patient, a foreign worker from Nepal who has been living in the country for two years with his family, presented himself about ten days ago at the epidemiology department in Split with symptoms consistent with the disease.
No alarmism
“The case was quickly identified ,” a health official told authorities, adding that the patient is currently receiving treatment. Those who had close contact with the patient received preventative treatment, and no further positive cases have been detected. Despite the concern raised by these reports, the Romanian and Croatian Ministries of Health emphasize that there is no danger to the public, due to the low contagiousness of leprosy and the rapid implementation of treatment and prevention protocols.
"There is no need to panic. Even if cases are imported into our country (Italy, editor's note), we have all the necessary tools to manage the problem effectively. So, let's avoid clichés, alarmism and stigmatization, which ultimately harm everyone," Italian infectious disease specialist Matteo Bassetti told our colleagues at RaiNews .
Leprosy has the unfortunate distinction of being among the twenty tropical diseases considered neglected by the WHO. Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, this transmissible infection attacks the skin and peripheral nerves, with potentially very serious consequences, including physical deformities. Leprosy is still present in more than 120 countries worldwide, with nearly 200,000 cases reported each year, even though it "is curable and early treatment prevents disability ," the WHO points out. The number of people diagnosed with leprosy decreased by approximately 5% in 2024 compared to the previous year, falling from 182,815 cases in 2023 to 172,717 cases in 2024.
