ATHENS 

A rise in group A streptococcus infections has prompted the temporary closure of schools across Greece, local media reported Monday.

More schools were closed after infections were detected in the Thessaloniki area and the regions of Serres, Crete, and Attica, which include Athens and the nearby port city of Piraeus, local daily Kathimerini reported.

Greece’s National Public Health Organization (NPHO) has also issued updated guidance on the transmission and prevention of bacterial infection.

The agency recommends frequent handwashing, avoiding close contact, ensuring proper classroom ventilation, and regular cleaning of shared surfaces, among other measures.

It also advises home isolation for those infected for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.

Despite the closures, Greece’s top public health official, NPHO head Christos Chatzichristodoulou, warned against shutting down schools as a means to stop the spread.

“While it’s understandable that municipalities and parents want to protect their children, closing schools or disinfecting them for streptococcus doesn’t help – and may even expose children to more risk,” he told the Greek broadcaster ERT.

Group A strep causes strep throat in an estimated 600 million people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization. It can also cause scarlet fever and a highly contagious skin infection -- impetigo.

In rare cases, the bacteria can lead to severe, life-threatening infections.