Smallpox is becoming increasingly commonplace in Poland, the country’s Main Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) has reported.
Last year 220,000 cases of the contagious disease were registered in Poland, which constitutes a record number over almost two decades.
GIS spokesman Jan Bondar said it would be difficult to pinpoint one major factor contributing to this abrupt rise in statistics.
He noted that contagious diseases are often characterized by the occurrence of so-called compensatory epidemics, especially among populations with large numbers of people who have never been infected with a given type of such disease.
Jan Bondar also explained that in Poland vaccinations against smallpox are only advised, therefore, they are not financed from public sources. Only children in orphanages, as well as young oncological and transplant patients are entitled to free vaccinations.
The cost of a smallpox inoculation is around PLN 200 (roughly USD 64 or EUR 47.5).
