Romania finds two masseuses with leprosy, first cases in 40 years

Romania said it had found two masseuses with leprosy at a spa in the northwestern city of Cluj, the European Union state's first confirmed cases of the disease in more than 40 years.

Two more people were being tested and the two confirmed cases - both Indonesian nationals aged 21 and 25 - were being treated, the health ministry added.

Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete said customers at the spa should not worry, as the disease required extended exposure to pass on.

One of the patients had recently returned from Asia, where she had spent a month with her mother who was currently in hospital with the same disease, Rogobete was quoted as saying by state news agency Agerpres.

Authorities had shut down the spa pending an investigation, health officials said.

Romania's last confirmed case of leprosy - also known as Hansen's disease - was detected 44 years ago, the ministry said.