The salmonella outbreak at the Masaryk primary school in Újezd nad Lesy is a mass illness that in September 2026 affected hundreds of children and dozens of adults at one of Prague's primary schools. The school is attended by about 1,100 children and the infection is linked to the use of expired eggs in food preparation in the school canteen. The case led to the closure of the school, the hospitalisation of dozens of patients and the intervention of the Prague Hygiene Station (HSHMP).*
Course of the illness
Parents of pupils at the Masaryk primary school began to point out the children's nausea at the beginning of the week, reporting cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting in their children [iDNES.cz, Praha]. On Tuesday hygienists already recorded 250 infected people, with at least 240 children and ten adults suffering digestive problems [ČT24]. Martina Marešová, head of the HSHMP anti-epidemic department, described the situation as an epidemic, noting that in her long epidemiological practice she had never encountered a similar number of sick people [Pražský deník]. In thirteen children, mostly hospitalised with a severe course, a bacteriological stool examination confirmed salmonella infection; according to Marešová it is likely that the others affected also have salmonella, because the course of their illness is very similar [ČT24, Pražský deník].
Intervention of the ambulance service and hospitals
Karel Kirs, spokesman of the Prague ambulance service, said that 55 people called the 155 line about digestive problems from Újezd nad Lesy, of whom 20 patients were taken to hospital, 24 were left on site after treatment and the rest were given telephone advice [iDNES.cz, Praha]. The Prague 21 borough pointed out that Bulovka Hospital stopped admitting new patients because of the outbreak and the capacity of Královské Vinohrady University Hospital was almost full, while Motol Hospital and Thomayer Hospital continued to admit new patients [Pražský deník].
Measures by the school and hygienists
The upper grades and the Montessori classes, where the most people were ill, had a headteacher's day off on Wednesday because of the infection, which was then extended to Thursday and Friday for all classes [ČT24]. School headteacher Libor Skala said that the school is in contact with the hygiene service, which will examine everything thoroughly, and that the school follows its instructions [iDNES.cz, Praha]. The school, including the kitchen and canteen, was completely disinfected by a specialist firm, which HSHMP director Vladimír Možíšek described as a responsible step [ČT24, iDNES.cz, Praha].
Hygienists could not take samples of the eggs used to prepare lunch because the cooks had used them up, so the specific batch had to be traced through the supplier [iDNES.cz, Praha]. HSHMP spokeswoman Petra Batók said that laboratory results for ingredients taken from the school canteen would probably be available on Friday [Pražský deník]. HSHMP also prepared a set of recommendations for the school and families, including emphasis on hygiene at home, frequent hand washing with warm water and soap, and the use of disinfectant to prevent transmission between household members [iDNES.cz, Praha].
Salmonellosis and infection statistics in Czechia
According to the National Institute of Public Health, salmonella infection most often comes from contaminated food, especially eggs, insufficiently cooked meat, frozen products with unpasteurised eggs (such as ice cream) or unpasteurised milk, with an incubation period of 13 to 36 hours [iDNES.cz, Praha]. The illness most often shows as diarrhoea, fever of up to 39 degrees Celsius, cramping abdominal pain and vomiting lasting no longer than seven days; at-risk groups are children under three months, the elderly and pregnant women [iDNES.cz, Praha].
Salmonellosis is among the infections that doctors must report to the institute. By the end of August 2026 more than 4,000 cases had been recorded in Czechia, several hundred more than in the same period of the previous year, including 334 in Prague [iDNES.cz, Praha]. The number of reported cases rose every month in 2026, from 28 in January to 68 in August [iDNES.cz, Praha]. Before 2020 more than ten thousand cases of salmonellosis a year were usually reported in Czechia, around 7,000 in 2022–2024, and 5,729 cases in 2025 [iDNES.cz, Praha].
Related articles: Újezd nad Lesy
Chronology
- — Health inspectors confirmed salmonella in pupils of the primary school in Újezd nad Lesy. ČT24 iDNES.cz, Praha
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Sources
- ČT24 — 24 September 2026
- iDNES.cz, Praha — 23 September 2026
- Pražský deník — 24 September 2026