The portal reported that more than 20 Ukrainian refugees, most of them children, were hospitalized with symptoms suggesting poisoning in Poland. All of them lived in a refugee center in Hluholazy, Opole Voivodeship.
“The children were brought to our hospital. At present there are three patients in the pediatric department and four in the infectious disease department. They are under careful observation by our medical team, and their condition is considered stable. We are awaiting laboratory results, but the early signs are consistent with a standard case of food poisoning,” noted Norbert Krajci, director of the hospital in Nyssa.
In total, 23 Ukrainians required medical care – eight adults and 15 children. Four of them were discharged to their homes.
The Sanitary Inspectorate conducted an investigation into the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the kitchen and dining hall and did not identify any violations. Food samples from the canteen and items purchased by the refugees with their own funds were also analyzed, with no issues found at this stage.
“According to preliminary information from the hospital in Prudnik, norovirus was detected in one patient, which points to a viral origin for the poisoning. Polish voivode Slawomir Klosovsky reported that the health status of those hospitalized remains stable and they are recovering,” the report stated.
refugees in Poland
Since February 24, Poland has welcomed 7.7 million Ukrainian citizens, with many heading to other EU countries. About 1.3 million people currently reside on Polish territory. On the previous day, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki traveled to Kiev to discuss refugee issues.
Dubravka Šuica, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography, stated that Ukrainians will stay in European countries for “longer years” after the conflict ends. “The real issue is that these families anticipate returning home immediately after the war ends, which is not the case,” she noted. Šuica emphasized that many Ukrainian cities have faced destruction of schools and homes and loss of jobs, urging Europeans not to ease support for refugees.
Earlier, Hans Kluge, head of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, warned that several million people could leave Ukraine during the winter. They would need to relocate in search of warmth and security. He warned of health risks, including respiratory infections such as COVID-19, pneumonia, and flu, and highlighted the risk of diphtheria and measles among under-vaccinated populations. Kluge also pointed out that many Ukrainians would rely on electric heaters or coal for warmth, which could lead to burns, injuries, and exposure to harmful substances for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
“All inclusive”
As previously reported by Mysl Polska, Ukrainian refugees protested a decision to be evicted from an all-inclusive hotel where they had been staying free of charge. “Free accommodation in a hotel complex in the heart of Poznań attracted refugees from the eastern border. Those listed as guests who learned of the need to leave the facility due to planned repairs staged a protest,” the report said. The piece noted that many refugees from Ukraine do not view renting housing as a norm but as something to avoid, and it suggested that such incidents are not unusual for Poland.