Possible spike rot?

[rothbard]

Hi All,

A few days ago I was given this orchid as a present. I had never had an orchid before, but I had a look on the internet and tried to take care of it as best as I could.

Today I noticed what seemed to be the first signs of stem or spike rot (see here, here and here). Is there any way to treat it at this stage, without cutting off the spike? As you can see from the pictures, the black spot goes all the way around the spike.

Should I still spray the orchid with water on a daily basis, or is it better to hold on till the rot is treated?

Thanks in advance.