OUTBREAKS
2003
The Way To Go
ISRAEL
LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE
January 14, 2003OUTBREAKS
2003
The Way To Go
ISRAEL
LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE
Herod's
Hotel
Legionnaires' disease hotel shut down
14th January
2003
A hotel in the
Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat has been closed after at least two guests were
diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease.
Two guests who stayed in the hotel in December have been diagnosed
with is in hospital with pneumonia and is under examination to check if the
illness was caused by Legionnaires' disease.
The Herod Hotel will remain
closed for two days while its water system is tested, said a health ministry
spokesman.
Disease fears close Eilat hotel
13 January 2003
Herod's Sheraton Resort in Eilat was closed late Monday night for 48 hours by the Health Ministry after epidemiologists found evidence linking two cases Legion- naires' disease with the hotel's hot water system. The two patients, hospitalized in the center of the country and attached to respirators, had stayed at the hotel recently.
Experts from the district health office in Beersheba visited the hotel and collected water samples from a Jacuzzi and showers. They found evidence of the Legionella pneumophila bacterium that can cause complications in the respiratory system
Legionnaires' at hotel
Jerusalem - A luxury hotel in the southern resort city of Eilat was closed on Tuesday after at least two guests were diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, Israel's Health Ministry announced.
Two guests who stayed in the hotel in December have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, a health ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A third hotel guest was recently hospitalised suffering from pneumonia and is under examination to check if the illness was caused by Legionnaires' disease, health ministry officials said.
The Herod's Palace Hotel, part of the Sheraton chain, will remain closed for two days while its water system is tested, said health ministry spokesman
HOTEL KEMAL BAY ALANYA, ANTALYA, TURKEY
Has had 3 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most
recent case was 03/01/2003. 
Information from
EWGLINET Surveillance System
Andalusia 24 January.. Seville.
LEGIONELLA OUTBREAK
The Service Andalusian of Health has initiated an investigation to the Hospital of Ecija which did not to adopt the sufficient measures after detecting a outbreak of legionella.
As a result of that outbreak a patient passed away and other twelve had to be transferred to another health center.
The circumstance that occurs in October 2002 the Hospital of Ecija was designated better small hospital of Spain.
*****
The
advisor of Health of the Meeting, Francisco Vallejo assured today that the
hospital of Écija was warned "on several occasions" of the necessity to correct
the deficiencies that were detected in the system of heating of the water "by
the infection risk that presented/displayed".
Vallejo explained in press
conference that the carried out inspection in this center, in which a bud of
legionella has been detected, the past October by the technicians of the
provincial Delegation of Health alerted that the water pump "was not able to
warm up it the sufficient thing", since in some points of the hospital the
temperature did not reach the 50 degrees Celsius.
The Service Andalusian
of Salud (SAS) sent "of urgent form" to the direction of the hospital of San
Sebastián de Écija, of municipal property, "the importance of fixing the hot
water installation" by the danger that could entail for the patients entered in
the center.
Nevertheless, the advisor emphasized that "to the day of
today" still he is to the delay of which the hospital assumes the repair of the
system, although at the moment it has been evacuated to a total from twelve
patients to the hospital of Our Lady of the Favor in Osuna "to avoid the
appearance of new cases" of legionella.
*****
OSAKA JAPAN
3rd October 2003
Elderly couple sues over bacteria infection on cruise
An elderly couple have filed a lawsuit
with the Osaka District Court demanding some 100 million yen in damages from a
tour organizer after claiming that the husband became infected with bacteria
that causes Legionnaires' disease during a cruise.
A spokesman for the tour organizer,
the Osaka-based Nippon Cruise Kyakusen, has declined to make a clear-cut
comment on the lawsuit. "We haven't read the suit, so we would like to
decline to comment. However, we will sincerely respond to the suit."
Taizo Tsuji, 71, of Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, and his 63-year-old wife took a cruise in the sea off Taiwan on a luxurious passenger ship, the Pacific Venus, from Dec. 28, last year, to Jan. 6, this year, according to the suit. During the cruise, Tsuji took a bath in the vessel's big common tub.
After coming home, Tsuji suffered from serious pneumonia and fell unconscious and was subsequently diagnosed at a hospital as having been infected with bacteria that causes Legionnaire's disease.
He is still suffering from the after-effects that require him to permanently use an oxygen inhaler. The couple took the legal action against Nippon Cruise Kyakusen claiming that Tsuji had been infected with the bacteria during the cruise.
21st February 2003
HOTEL VOYAGE SELGE-BEACH, MANAVGAT, ANTALYA, TURKEY
Has had 2 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 21/02/2003.
Legionnaires' Disease outbreak at
hotel
Public health officials are
investigating an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in Somerset,
England
Doctors have treated three people with the disease,
which has been traced back to the leisure centre at a local hotel.
Experts
say the risk of infection at the Cricket St Thomas Hotel in Chard has been
isolated.
But they are warning anyone who has used the hotel's facilities in
the last month to watch for symptoms.
 The hotel's leisure centre is thought to be the source of the outbreak |
One of the people diagnosed has made a full
recovery, but two others are still in hospital.
The leisure centre's
showers and spa tub have been closed for extra cleaning, but its pool, which is
chlorinated, is open.
It is the second time in months the hotel - the setting for BBC television series To The Manor Born - has been at the centre of a health scare.
Dozens of guests were affected by the Norwalk virus, which causes vomiting and stomach upsets, before Christmas.
Legionnaires' disease is transmitted by airborne mist particles from contaminated water sources, such as whirlpool baths and air conditioning units.
Symptoms of the illness, which is not transmitted from person to person, include a chest infection, fever, chills and a cough.
Its incubation period can be as long as 21 days.
Anyone who suspects they may have the disease is advised to contact their GP for tests.
Update
Leisure Centre in
Legionnaires’ Disease Alert
The 66-year-old from Hertfordshire, who died in February, is the first confirmed fatality as a result of the recent outbreak traced to the leisure centre of the Cricket St Thomas hotel near Chard.
The hotel - including leisure centre and wildlife park - will be closed from Friday as a precaution to allow a servicing of the water system.
Seven people have been diagnosed with the disease.
Five people required admission to hospital, including two women who are still recovering in Lancashire and Kent.
A 71-year-old man and a woman, 54, both from Somerset, a 55-year-woman from Essex and a woman, 53, from Oxfordshire have also been affected.
A spokesperson for the hotel said: "We are saddened by the news that there are additional cases of the disease, one of whom has died, and extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved."
The showers and Spa Bath at the leisure centre were closed on 27 February and since then there have been no new cases.
Public Health officials have contacted nearly 4,000 people who have used the facilities, but are still appealing for people who show the flu- like symptoms to contact them or their local GP.
A spokesperson for the Somerset Health Protection Unit said: "Health officials are continuing to investigate the possible source of a recent outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.
"The hotel management are giving their full co-operation with the investigation and are fully implementing the recommendations of health officials.
15 March 2003
Two more Legionnaires' cases
Two more cases of Legionnaires' disease linked with a hotel's leisure
centre have been confirmed.
A 30-year-old man and a woman, both from Southampton, have not required admission to hospital and are recovering at home.
Ten cases have now been confirmed by the Somerset Health Protection Unit.
Health officials say the most recent cases are not new infections, but have been identified from questionnaires sent to almost 4,000 recent guests at the hotel who could have used the leisure centre's spa bath or showers.
Two women, aged 66 and 64, are recovering in hospitals in Lancashire and Kent.
Public health officials investigating an outbreak of
Legionnaires’ disease associated with the Cricket St Thomas Hotel and Leisure
Centre, near Chard, have identified a total of fourteen confirmed cases to date.
(31st March 2003).
Of these fourteen people, one women, aged 66 remains
in hospital in Lancashire.
A 66-year-old woman from Hertfordshire is known to
have died from the disease in February 2003.
The confirmed cases are not
new infections. All were acquired in February and have been identified as a
result of public health officials checking health questionnaires from over 5,000
guests who were known to have stayed or visited Cricket St Thomas Hotel and
Leisure Centre since January 2003.
Although not required to do so by
health officials, the management at Cricket St Thomas have decided to
temporarily close the hotel, leisure centre and wildlife park from Friday 14th
March, to avoid disruption to guests whilst carrying out remedial work to their
water systems.
Dr Elaine Farmery, Public Health Consultant with the
Somerset Health Protection Unit says: “We are satisfied that appropriate
precautions have been taken and the potential risk to the health of anyone
coming to the leisure centre, hotel, or wildlife park is no greater than
anywhere else in the country. Low levels of Legionella occur naturally in the
environment.
“Circumstantial evidence, based on information from those
affected, supports our belief that the spa bath was the most probable source of
this outbreak. However, the management of Cricket St Thomas have taken
widespread measures to exclude the possibility of a second source of the
organism elsewhere at Cricket St Thomas.”
Source.. Somerset Health and Social Care
A woman from Lancashire has died after contracting Legionnaires' disease in an outbreak at a hotel.
The 66-year-old woman is the second to die following the outbreak in Somerset - the first woman died in February.
Health officials have linked the outbreak to the leisure centre of the Cricket St Thomas hotel, near Chard.
To date 19 people have been diagnosed with the disease - the Somerset Health Protection Unit (SHPU) said many more people had been affected.
The latest victim died on Tuesday.
Source Media
6th March 2003
Legionnaires' scare at lifeboat HQ
A woman has been taken to hospital after contracting the potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease.The woman works at the national headquarters of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in Poole, Dorset.
Emergency checks of air conditioning and water systems are now being carried out at the office, where 480 staff work.
The woman was taken to hospital after suffering breathing difficulties, although it is not yet known how she caught the illness.
Source BBC London
Catalonia. - Detected five cases of legionella in Badalona (Barcelona)
BADALONA BARCELONA
Five people of Badalona (Barcelona) have been affected by
legionellosis, according to the City council of Badalona and the
Conselleria of Health of the Generalitat in joint official notice.
Two
of the affected ones already have been registered and the other three continue
entered in hospitals of the city.
The first case is a woman, of 69
years, that initiated symptoms the 23 of February and it was entered the 3 of
March in the Municipal Hospital of Badalona, where it evolves favourably. In the
same centre he remains hospitalised a man of 81 years who initiated symptoms 24
of February and were entered the 5 of March.
The third case is a
man of 57 years, who initiated symptoms the 1st of March, it was admitted the
Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol the 3 of March, and was registered
the 10 of March.
The quarter case is a man of 67 years, who initiated
symptoms the 28 of February,
it was entered in the same centre the 2nd
of March, and was registered 8th of the same month.
The fifth case is a
man of 58 years who initiated symptoms the 5th of March, entered day 9th of the
same month in the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and continues hospitalised in a
conventional plant of the centre.
The Conselleria of Health and the City
council of Badalona, way coordinated, they have initiated the investigation
environmental epidemiologist and in order to be able to determine the possible
source of infection and if one is cases related to a same center.
The
Consistorio maintains assets a census of cooling towers from the month of
January of 2001, and at this moment it has registered 24facilities.
Update
A woman of Badalona affected by legionella dies, although already she suffered a very serious pathology
BARCELONA.
A woman, of 52
years and neighbour of Badalona, affected of legionellosis the past passed away
28 of March in the Hospital of Vall d´Hebron of Barcelona, according to sources
informed yesterday into the department of Health of the Generalitat and the City
council of Badalona. This it is the first mortal case of the last outbreak of
legionellosis that the past declared 23 of February in this municipality of the
region of the Barcelonian Nord and that has affected a total of nine people, one
of them resident one in the neighbouring locality of Montgat.
The victim the past
initiated the legionellosis symptoms day 10 of March and after two weeks
d´Hebron entered by the annoyances caused by this affection in the Hospital of
Vall, where it passed away three days later. However, the woman suffered very
serious a previous pathology that forced to him to receive treatments of x-ray,
chemotherapy and corticoids.
The technicians of conselleria of Health, in collaboration with those of the Consistorio badalonés, investigate now if this case this related to the other neighbours affected by legionella.
The circumstance
that occurs the address of the victim is to more than 2 kilometers of the
possible center of infection of the rest of cases detected in Badalona,
according to explained yesterday the chief of a main directorate of Public
Health, Luis Salleras. Without having the passed away woman, this outbreak has
affected, at the moment, to three women of 78, 93 and 69 years, and to five men
of 81, 75, 67, 58 and 78 years of age. All these patients, who began to notice
the symptoms of the disease after the 24 of February, have already received the
medical discharge. The department of Health and the City council of Badalona
have analysed until now 19 samples of 15 cooling towers and the result of the
analyses will be known in the next days.
NOTE, This is my translation of an Italian newspaper article
27 March 2003
LOMBARDY, Italy
All’istituto
Bernacchi di Gavirate (Goes) Died two old ones in the rest house: it suspects
legionella
VARESE
Two dead men sospette in an institute for old and the traced
bacterium of the legionella in the water of the same institute: perhaps the two
facts are not correlate to you but assessments are in course to the house of
rest "Bernacchi" of Gavirate, in the Varesotto, where the ricoverati ones are
approximately 60. The presence of the micro-organism that provokes pulmonary
infections has been confirmed from the direction of the Asl of Varese. Also the
magistracy is to the job; at the moment they would be the two deaths that could
be led back to the symptoms from the legionella: they have been ordered the
autopsies. First to insospettirsi they have been some days before the same
responsible of the house of rest "Bernacchi", a public institute.
The deaths between you assist yourself to it have been 18 in less than three months when difficultly that figure comes caught up in a year. "One of the first controls that we have carried out - reports to Pierluigi Zeals, director of the Asl - it has regarded the water, where in effects we have uncovered the bacterium. We are not still in a position to establishing if it has determined the dead women of the ricoverati ones ". The legionella it assaults lungs and it provokes serious respiratory insufficiencies, symptoms finds to you on two of the old ones died. Other understood it is the prevention measures. "we have ordered water a general reclamation dell’impianto - it explains Zeals -. In the meantime we have advised not to use the warm water: the legionella not inferior temperature to the 37 degrees lives in fact in humid atmospheres and to one ". How it has been able to contaminate the institute? "It can are given that in the tubature of the warm water they have been formed of the incrustations; lì the bacterium can have taken root. But hypothesis draft only ". Calm, instead, it comes defined instead the situation between the ins-patient. Only one minimal part of they is subordinate to one antibiotic therapy. "we have informed the families - the health director Mark reassures River - and I exclude the existence of an alarm legionella". For the mayor Giovanni Alberio finally not sussistono dangers for the rest of the inhabitants, approximately 9 mila: "the Asl has not ordered some participation for the public aqueduct".
Australia's first known cases
of Legionnaires` disease in a
domestic hot water system
Legionnaire's in senior's
units
April
15, 2003
LEGIONELLA bacteria has been
found in the hot water systems of nine of the 10 seniors' public housing units
in Brisbane where a man who died from legionnaires' disease
lived. "None of the other residents have shown any trace of
legionella and that includes a frail elderly lady who suffers from cancer," Mr
Schwarten said. He said a task force had been set up between his
department and Queensland Health to investigate the outbreak and to carry out a
risk assessment of all other seniors' units in Queensland.
A 60-year-old former resident of the Wynnum units,
named only as "Graham", died in hospital of legionnaires' disease about three
weeks ago. "We have Q-build workers at the units now and they
will be flushing out the system with chlorine until it is free of the bacteria,"
Mr Schwarten said. "Once that's done, those that want to return can go
back and for those who don't wish to return we will help them
relocate."
Mr Schwarten said doctors had informed him that the
temperatures of hot water systems used by the elderly were often turned down to
avoid scalding accidents, and this sometimes created ideal breeding conditions
for the legionella bacteria. It was believed to be the first time legionella
bacteria had been found in the hot water system of a residential dwelling in
Queensland, Mr Schwarten said.
The resident, known only as Graham, 60, died in
hospital about three weeks ago. It was believed he had suffered ill health for
some time before contracting legionnaires' disease. His family has not been
notified of the exact cause of his death. Mr Schwarten said no other residents showed any signs
of the disease but they were being monitored. Specialistic
police in chemical
Queensland Housing Minister Robert Schwarten said today the 10
other elderly residents of the unit block in the bayside suburb of Wynnum had
been evacuated and checked by doctors.
Legionella bacteria were
found in the kitchen and bathroom of his unit, leading to the hot water system,
as well as in a standpipe outside.
**
TEN elderly
residents have been evacuated from a Housing Commission apartment block in
Brisbane after a resident contacted legionnaires' disease and
died.
Housing Minister Robert Schwarten yesterday said the units in Agnes
St, Wynnum, were evacuated on Friday after legionella bacteria was found
there.
"The place has been quarantined
off, this is a unique case, we've never had to do this before," he
said.
Each unit's hot water system and water supplies would be treated
before residents could return.
Scare in Madrid when a
parcel opens itself
which was directed to the laboratory
of legionella
25
April. 2003
Madrid. Spain
Specialistic police in nuclear, chemical and bacteriological fight extracted the bottles that contained the liquid in the box in which it was transported and they isolated them in hermetic bags. The bottles contain water of the deposits of a boat anchored in the port of Bilbao. It is the water that is used in the boat to drink, to clean up or to cook and was sent a sample to the National Center of Microbiology, in Madrid, to analyse it in search of possible bacteria. "the boats have water tanks that, when remaining on the high seas during long time, are practically suspended water and must be made those controls to control possible infections
The
workers did not know the content of
the package.
Fifteen employees were isolated as a preventive measure
until knowing the danger.
The analyses have confirmed that the
water did not have bacteria. Although it had had, the risk was minimum since
legionella is not transmitted by direct bonding but by inhalation.
Susto en Madrid al abrirse un bote dirigido al laboratorio
25
Abril. 2003
Madrid.
Policías especialistas en lucha nuclear, química y bacteriológica
extraían los frascos que contenían el líquido de la caja en la
que era transportado y los aislaban en bolsas herméticas. Los frascos contienen
agua de los depósitos de un barco anclado en el puerto de Bilbao. Es el agua que
se utiliza en el barco para beber, para asearse o para cocinar y se enviaba
una muestra al Centro Nacional de Microbiología, en Madrid, para analizarla en
busca de posibles bacterias.
"Los
barcos tienen unos depósitos de agua que, al permanecer en alta mar durante
mucho tiempo, es prácticamente agua estancada y deben hacerse esos controles
para controlar posibles infecciones
The condition of the three patients who continue to be hospitalised by Legionella in Alcoy is
good.ALICANTE
Health confirms a
new outbreak of legionella in Alcoy with four affected
ALCOY (ALICANTE)
Confirmed a fifth person affected by legionella in Alcoy Spain
26 April
2003
Alcoy. -- the council of
Health of the Generalitat of Valencia has confirmed a new case of pneumonía by
legionella in Alcoy, that becomes the fifth affected the new center of this
disease that has caused the hospitalisation of four
people.
The
patient is a man of 47 years who is hospitalised and who is in good state,
according to sources of the Generalitat.
The
advisor of Health, Castilian Serafín, informed yesterday into the existence of a
new "center" of legionella in Alcoy, that has caused the hospitalisation of four
people, three of which follow entered with favourable
prognosis.
Ywo
women and a man of the third age and another man of 34 years, one from which
already has received the medical discharge in the Virgin Hospital of the Irises
and it is in his address.
The
regions of Alcoy and Cocentaina have undergone a total of eight epidémicas
situations caused by legionella from end of 1999, by which they have been
affected near 200 people.
HOTEL LINDA, SIDE, ANTALYA, TURKEY
Has had 3 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 27 April 2003
Source EWGLINET Surveillance System
9 April
2003
Disease plea:
`don't panic'
INVESTIGATIONS are continuing to find the source of a
legionnaires' disease outbreak in Dandenong South which last month hospitalised
two people.
A Department of Human Services spokesman said a Dandenong
South meat factory Castricum Brothers conducted a routine check of a cooling
tower on February 21, with results testing positive for legionella bacteria on
February 28.
A woman who worked about 1km from the factory was diagnosed
with legionnaires' disease on March 3.
The following day a male factory
worker was also diagnosed with the disease.
Castricum Brothers declined to
comment.
The Department of Human Services spokesman said they were still
investigating a possible link between the infections and the factory and had not
said the factory was the source.
The public had no reason to
panic.
"We are not treating it as a public health issue," he
said.
"We don't believe there is any threat to the public.
"I
would like to stress we are treating this as a one-off incident."
He said
Castricum Brothers in Dandenong South had washed down the cooling tower and had
done "everything right".
|
WHEN IN
MELBOURNE....... |
Legionnaires' disease cases
investigated
30 April, 2003
Two cases of
Legionnaires' disease were being investigated with a possible link to a function
centre on Melbourne's north-eastern outskirts, health authorities
said. Both have recovered after receiving
hospital treatment.
Tests conducted on the club's
cooling tower system tested positive for the legionella bacteria.
Department of Human Services Chief
Health Officer Dr Robert Hall said there was no reason for people to avoid the
club since it had its cooling tower disinfected on April
23. No other cases of Legionnaires'
diseases have been associated with the venue, he said.
"As a precaution, any visitors to
the club prior to April 23 who became sick within 10 days of their visit with
flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention," Dr Hall said.
So far this year there has been 36
cases of Legionnaires' disease notified to the department compared to 37 cases
in 2002 and 49 cases in 2001 20 May 2003 THE CANARY ISLANDS.
Four people were affected by a
outbreak of legionella detected in the municipality centre of Adeje, although
two of them were registered, whereas the other two were entered in the
University Hospital the Candlemas. One of these affected was
entered in the Unit of Intensive Cares of the hospitable center, although
according to sanitary sources its state improves
progressively. The service of Epidemiología of
the Canary Service of the Health of the Council of Health received yesterday the
notification of four cases of affected by the outbreak of legionella that was
detected the week last in the municipality centre of Adeje.
Causal nexus Sources of the Council of
Health indicated yesterday that the four cases have a causal and temporary nexus
to be related to the premises in which thinks that it is the infection center,
and that has been closed of form to prevent until the origin of the outbreak of
legionella is determined. Technicians of the Service of
Epidemiología consider that he is "a small and limited" outbreak, that was
detected Thursday the past, when in this department the notification of a case
was received that was united to other two appeared in previous weeks.
The
inspected premises After verifying a possible
causal nexus between the affected ones, the technicians of Public Health made an
environmental inspection of the premises in which deficiencies were detected,
reason why it was come to the suspension to prevent of his activities until the
origin of the outbreak is determined. Sources of the Council of
Health indicated that it has been come to the drained one from all the
facilities and to a disinfection of shock, and within fifteen days another new
inspection will be made to verify that the outbreak of legionella has been
eradicated definitively. In addition, the laboratory of Public Health
of the canary Government will analyse the samples obtained with the purpose of
determining the bacteria cause of the outbreak, thus to cut the
transmission. Source Spanish Media 30 May 2003
A 72-year-old man and a 82-year-old woman contracted
the illness after they visited the RACV Club at Healesville last
month.
Tenerife.
The seventh case of Legionella in Tenerife is confirmed.
This time is a foreign citizen who usually spends seasons in our
island and that used spa of Adeje where the outbreak was located. This person
was admitted the Hospital of the Candlemas from month principles, and although
in the first tests that practiced did not detect the bacterium to him, now if
the diagnosis has been confirmed. Of sietre affected cases, three of them
permancen hospitalised, one of them in serious state.
.
Se
confirma un séptimo caso de Legionella en Tenerife | |
|
30 Mayo
2003. Redacción. Tenerife. |
|
|
| |
|
Se
confirma el séptimo caso de Legionella en Tenerife. Esta vez se trata de
un ciudadano extranjero que suele pasar temporadas en nuestra isla y que
utilizó el spa de Adeje donde se localizó el brote. Esta
persona estaba ingresada en el Hospital de La Candelaria desde principios
de mes, y aunque en las primeras pruebas que se le practicaron no se
detectó la bacteria, ahora si se ha confirmado el diagnóstico. De los
sietre casos afectados, tres de ellos permancen hospitalizados, uno de
ellos en estado grave. | |
Health confirms three new cases of legionella, two in Castellón and one in Ibi
|
Technicians of Health sealed a cooling tower yesterday contaminated with the bacterium of legionella in a company of the urban centre of Ibi 30
May 2003 CASTELLÓN IBI. The Direction of the Provincial Hospital of Castellón confirmed yesterday the existence of a outbreak of legionella in the center, after detecting two new cases of pneumonía produced by this bacterium. Both new diagnosed cases are the companion of a patient that was 5
days ago entered in the Provincial Hospital of Castellón and a patient
that was in ambulatory treatment of the Service of Rehabilitation. Both
cases have been derived to the General Hospital of Castellón where they
remain in observation state. The affected ones are a neighbour of
Castellón and a neighbour of Benicasim. The direction of public Health already has applied the performance
protocol and during the day of Thursday it gathered samples of possible
the focuses of infection, but the test results will not be known until
within 9 days. In this sense, and before the appearance of these two new
cases, the direction considers that "indications sufficient exist to think
apparently about the existence of a outbreak", since the past Thursday a
patient entered the oncología area passed away by an insufficiency
cardiorespiratoria, agravated by a picture of pneumonía by legionella
together with very low defences by an advanced state of cancer.
The committee of labour health of the Provincial Hospital
emitted yesterday a note, in which it confirmed new cases, and indicated
that both or the disinfection of the system of water distribution has
begun, with one more a part of the programmed measures of shock that or
took applying from the knowledge of the first case. The Provincial
Hospital also has begun the hyperchloronation of the water and the
evacuating of the rehabilitation swimming pool to come so to its new
stuffed disinfection and as it was predicted in the protocol.
New case in Ibi A
fourth case of legionella was detected yesterday in Ibi, after the health
authorities noticed affected Wednesdays the past that a "dripping" could
take place of in the following days, since the disease produced by the
outbreak still is in incubation. At the same time, technicians of the
Conselleria of Health located the presence of the bacterium in a cooling
tower of a company located in the urban case of Ibi, that he could be the
cause of the outbreak. The affected one is a man of 45 years, who has not needed
hospitable entrance and follows the treatment in his address with a good
prognosis. The other three patients - a man of 31 years and two women, one
of 56 and another one of 63- were admitted the Virgin hospital of the
Irises of Alcoy and its evolution is also favourable.
|
|
|
5 June 2003
The
center of the outbreak of legionella detected in the Provincial Hospital of
Castellón and that already has affected five people, one of which it has passed
away, is in the plant of oncología of the health center, according to confirmed
yesterday the advisor of Health, Castilian Serafín.
After a press conference in the
occasion of the celebration of the National Day of the Donor, Castilian it
showed to the journalists whom the four people who remain hospitalised after
contracting one pneumonía by legionella in the Provincial Hospital "evolve
favourably" and no is entered the Unit of Cuidados Intensives (UCI).
Health confirms two new cases of legionella in Castellon and one in Alicante
7 June 2003
CASTELLÓN / ALICANTE.
The Conselleria of Health has confirmed the
existence of two new cases of legionella, produced by infection with the
outbreak detected in the Provincial Hospital of Castellon.
A Married couple one who is aged 78 and the other 79 years of age.
The woman was entered the surgery area, where she was operated during the dates in which the outbreak took place, and the husband remained with her like companion.
With these days are already the eight cases detected in the last, seven of them by infection in the General Hospital with result of two deaths and six patients, who are taken care of in the General Hospital of Castellon and evolve favourably.
The director of Public Health, Bred Javier,
recognized the facts yesterday in the morning, after the meeting of the Council
of Health, summoned with extraordinary character, indeed after the appearance of
the numerous cases of legionella that they have taken place in Castellón.
According to him he indicated that the water has been the factor of transmission of this bacterium, whose center settled down in the zone of Oncología of the hospitable center.
Antiquity of building seems to be culprit of
his appearance in other areas of center, through pipes blinded, where the water
stagnates that cannot be chlorinated, and overflows to the rest of the low
network when the pressure.
The person in charge of Public
Health has also recognized that the period of incubation of the disease will not
conclude until Sunday or Monday, reason why could be possible the appearance of
new cases in the next days of people who are been in contact with the bacterium.
The
person in charge of Working Commissions, with presence in the Council of Health,
has indicated that the subject complica because the Administration has
recognized that sometimes have taken place increases of the PH of the water,
which they prevent his disinfection.
On the other hand, as much the UGT
representative as the Union of Consumers denounced the failure of the prevention
measures that must be adopted.
Consulted sources also indicate the existence
of malaise between the relatives of the patients, who affirm that very little
has been facilitated them or no information on which it happened.
New Zealand
18 May
2003
Three police officers have been
struck down with legionnaires' disease, contracted at the Counties-Manukau
headquarters building which is now under investigation by the Labour
Department.
About 180
staff continue to work at Harlech House in Otahuhu despite police headquarters
accepting the building's water tower air conditioning system was to blame for
the trio contracting the potentially fatal disease.
Staff are unhappy that the building dangers were identified in 2000 - but just three months ago a positive test was again recorded at the station.
It is understood two of the officers received secret payouts to prevent employment court action. One of those officers has since quit.
Police Association vice-president Richard Middleton confirmed the three cases, saying the officers had suffered pneumonia-like illnesses.
They contracted legionnaires' disease - caused by inhaling legionella bacteria from a water source - from the air in the building.
Middleton said the association had been fighting to get police headquarters to accept responsibility since problems first emerged in 2000, when two officers fell ill.
"It wasn't until last year that there was an acknowledgment by the department that the disease was contracted through the building," he said.
"There's a massive loss of confidence by staff there in the ability for the department to resolve the matter once and for all."
A third officer had been diagnosed with the disease in the last six months, Middleton said.
It is understood tests have revealed the presence of legionella bacterium in at least one part of Harlech House - a bathroom shower-head.
One officer has quit, one was undergoing rehabilitation and the third had been transferred to another building, Middleton said.
"Their immediate needs have been looked after, although it took some time for that to happen.
"This matter has been extremely frustrating but we have now moved on from there."
An Occupational Safety and Health spokeswoman confirmed the department was investigating building safety, with a report due in about six weeks.
Counties-Manukau district commander Ted Cox, who works at Harlech House, said the health and safety issues were being addressed by a working party comprised of professors, a doctor and building safety representatives.
The recommendations of a hygiene safety report had been implemented and the building was tested every month. The working group, which OSH was also involved with, would review the health of current staff, Cox said.
Police bought Harlech House from the Inland Revenue Department in 1997 for more than $8 million.
Seems no one is minding the store
Update 9 June 2003
Police fury over diseased office
The Police Association says South Auckland police are furious at being exposed to the risk of Legionnaires disease.
Nearly 200 staff are being relocated from the Counties Manukau District Headquarters after an expert declared the building unsafe.
Six staff have got Legionnaires since it was discovered in the building's air conditioning four years ago.
The association's national vice president, Richard Middleton, says the association had asked police managers to eliminate the risk right from the start.
He says it is unacceptable that the management tried to minimise the risk instead.
One police officer battling the debilitating lung disease says it is a tragedy the problem wasn't fixed earlier.
Senior Sergeant Dave Anstiss, who tested positive three years ago, says police managers left it far too late to evacuate.
Anstiss says five of his colleagues got sick after a device designed to fix the problem was fitted in the building's water cooling tower.
He believes more cases have yet to come to light because every police officer in the district has spent time in the building's training division.
Source Media
Legionnaires Problem At Police
HQ
8 June 2003
Two new cases of legionnaires
disease have been confirmed at Counties-Manukau police headquarters.
The disease was discovered at Harlech House, where the police are located, three
years ago.
Six people have now contracted legionnaires, two in the past few days.
Their condition is not considered serious.
Superintendent Ted Cox says despite precautions taken when it was discovered
three years ago, the two new cases mean the building must be evacuated.
He says police are working closely with other agencies to ensure the safety of
police staff.
Superintendent Cox says police headquarters will be relocated until the building
is safe to return to.
He says police have been working with medical experts from Auckland University,
who have advised them to move for their staff's safety.
Superintendent Cox says police headquarters will move on Monday morning.
New Zealand
Police have confirmed that a further three officers who worked at the Counties-Manukau
district headquarters have legionnaires disease.
The cases identified this week bring to nine the number of staff who worked at Harlech House in Otahuhu, Auckland, and now have the potentially fatal bacterial condition.
The building was closed a week ago, with about 200 staff moved to other buildings for an estimated two months.
One staff member was today undergoing tests to determine whether hospital admission was necessary, said police welfare officer Rhys Cantwell.
The confirmed cases were made up of a mix of police officers and non-sworn staff.
Mr Cantwell would not provide any other details, but it was understood at least two were female officers.
About 100 staff have contacted Mr Cantwell and will be tested at the Auckland University medical school in the coming weeks.
He said the 33 people who had suffered illness such as long-term coughing or infections were priorities.
A further 26 people who had suffered occasional influenza would then be tested.
"Then we have about 60 (staff) with no symptoms whatsoever who want to be tested," Mr Cantwell said.
Other staff were consulting their own doctors for testing rather than going through the police-organised university team.
The Police Association has criticised management handling of the outbreak, saying senior officers denied there was a problem and positive test results were withheld from staff.
Two police officers with the disease received confidential compensation payouts last year because of the way their concerns had been dismissed.
Update
A further six staff were waiting to hear if they had contracted the bacterial condition, after working at Harlech House in Otahuhu.
The building was closed in early June and work began this week on renovations, including replacing the water tower with a dry air-conditioning system and upgrading toilets and showers.
The Police Association has employed an independent investigator, lawyer Richard Earwaker, to review the work and ensure it met international standards.
Association vice-president Richard Middleton said the police had agreed to the review, aimed to give staff confidence the revamped building is a safe working environment.
Mr Earwaker would compare international standards to work on Harlech House, said Mr Middleton.
He would also make recommendations on any further work to ensure the building is safe before staff return, he said.
Mr Middleton this week asked management when a medical report on 400 staff tested for legionnaires would be made available.
The cases confirmed so far dated from 2000, when legionella was first found in the building, to February of this year.
The association has asked lawyers to investigate compensation for staff affected by the disease.
Two police officers with the disease received confidential compensation payouts last year because of the way their concerns were dismissed.
Counties Manukau District Commander Ted Cox said renovation work was on track to be completed around mid-November and staff will move back into the building soon after.
A new
outbreak of legionella in the Valencian Community one victim dies
9 June 2003.
Madrid.
One persaon died and ten affected are the provisional balance of several outbreaks of legionella detected in the Valencian Community in the last days. Most serious of them she is located in the Provincial Hospital of Castellón, where a patient in the plant of Oncología passed away.
She was in the
showers of his room where the bacterium was located. This same hospital has
registered six cases more of legionella, between patients and companions. In
addition they have taken place contagios isolated in Alcoy, Ibi and Onil,
localities of the same alicantina region.
The health authorities do not
discard the appearance of new cases in the next days, since the period of
incubation follows.
Alarm
in the Valencian Health after detecting two new outbreaks of legionella
CASTELLÓN/ALICANTE.
One person is dead and other 24 affected are the provisional balance of the reappearance of the legionellosis in the Valencian Community lately.From
the 28 of May a person has died and ten diagnosed cases have revealed the
existence of two new outbreaks.
First it was a outbreak in Alcoy (the eighth from 1999) and other places of his
region. Soon another one in Castellón was registered, with a center in the
plant of Oncología of the Provincial Hospital. The Valencian health
authorities insist on which the situation is under control.
The bacterium of legionella seems to have shown no mercy with the Valencian
Community, specially with the zone of the Alcoy industrialist, inside the
province of Alicante, where almost 300 cases of I infect since have been
registered the disease appeared for the first time in 1999. But in this
occasion, where there is to lament a death is in Castellón, and indeed in a
place that had to be well safe from this disease: the area of Oncología of the
Provincial Hospital.
A deceased
The 29 of May passed away a patient entered that unit due to I infect of
legionella. Later other six cases have been registered, with which no has
special gravity. Three of them companions correspond to of patients of plant of
Oncología of thr health center , and quarter is woman which apparently it was
infected in the area of Rehabilitation, that is in a contiguous space, reason
why was not difficult to find out the possible location of the center.
The bacterium has been located in the hot water of the showers of room 202 of the center, where the first patient passed away who contracted the disease and that suffered a cancer of lung, as well as in the hot water and it fries of clothes.
The
Council of Health of the Generalitat assures that the measures in the hospitable
center are had extreme, like the hyperchlorination of the water, the increase of
their temperature in faucets and showers, the cleaning and disinfection of the
rehabilitation swimming pool and the taking of samples of almost a hundred of
hypothetical centres.
Nevertheless, the advisor of Health, Castilian Serafín, does not discard the
appearance of new contagios during the next days, and to that the period of
incubation of the disease continues open. The alert also follows in Alcoy,
although the tenth case in hardly three weeks confirmed the 19 of May there and
since then new one has not been registered any affected by legionellosis. For
that reason, the health authorities consider, with the caution that the
circumstance they demand, that can occur by surpassed the risk of propagation of
this outbreak. Its control has demanded an increasing unfolding for the closing
of tens of accomplishment and cooling towers of analysis.
While in Alcoy the crisis situation seemed to send, the bacterium of legionella
began to act in the near population of Ibi, also with abundant industries that
need great facilities of refrigeration. The 21 of May detected a case in this
city and another one in Onil, in the same region. What the Generalitat
considered a fact isolated, to the few days it was confirmed as at first the
first outbreak of legionella in the history of Ibi, whose mayor came assuring
that its population did not reunite the bad geographic conditions of Alcoy.
The disease has affected or five people in Ibi and continues extending by the
zone when detecting itself day of 5 June a case in Wall of Alcoy, urban nucleus
that or happened through this experience in June of 2000 and November of 2002,
and another one day 6 in Plans.
The possibility of a greater advance has alerted to the locality of Cocentaina
specially, where legionella was fattened in previous years. In fact, a neighbour
of this municipality is ill of pneumonía by legionella, although he was
infected in Alcoy.
The
prefect of the Batch-and-Garonne decided by decree the provisional closing of
the Thermal baths of Casteljaloux after the discovery of the bacterium "legionella
pneumophila" at the exit of the drilling which feeds the establishment out
of water.
"the
care was suspended and the cures from now on are stopped until is noted a return
to a strict microbiological quality of water", the prefecture in an
official statement specifies.
This
measurement was taken on proposal of the departmental Management of the medical
and social action (DDASS)"under the terms of the principle of
precaution".
The
legionella is a bacterium which is propagated in an optimal way in a water with
approximately 40° and causes acute pulmonary infections, the légionellose or
"disease of the légionary". The duration of incubation is two to ten
days and 10 to 15% of the cases are mortals.
Also known as Tercis-les-Bains
Four
cases of légionellose, of which a mortal, detected in
June 27 2003
The
hydropathic establishments of Support-the-Baths and Saline-the-Thermal baths (
The
departmental direction of the medical and social businesses (DDASS) of
Thereafter,
three other cases were highlighted. One of the four victims died on June 23.
Environmental
research is in hand on the water supply networks of the two hydropathic
establishments where the victims carried out a cure but also in the places where
they resided in
The
thermal baths of Support-the-Baths and Saline-the-Thermal baths were closed by
measurement of precaution until the investigation made it possible to identify
the origin of the contaminations.
The légionellose is a respiratory infection caused by a bacterium, the légionella. The latter is transmitted by contaminated water inhalation diffused by aerosol in the environment.
NOTE
The Batch-and-Garonne:
Thermal baths closed following discovered the légionelle one
BORDEAUX
The activity of the care of the Thermal baths of Casteljaloux (the Batch-and-Garonne) was suspended by the prefecture of the Batch-and-Garonne after the discovery, during lawful controls of thermal spring, the presence of bacteria légionella pneumophila at the exit of the drilling which feeds the establishment, announced the prefecture. No case of disease was detected and it is about a measure "taken under the terms of the principle of precaution".
The close center thermoludic, supplied with another collecting, remains open.
The Thermal baths of Casteljaloux were inaugurated on July 15, 2002, after an investment of 8 million euros.
(1) TURIST HOTEL, ANKARA, TURKEY
has had 2 cases
associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was
25/05/2003.
(2) GRAND ONS HOTEL, ISTANBUL,
TURKEY
has had 2 cases
associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was
25/05/2003.
(3) EDEN GARDEN HOTEL, ASSOS,
CANAKKALE, TURKEY
has had 2 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 25/05/2003.
(4) HIERAPOLIS HOTEL, PAMUKKALE, DENIZLI, TURKEY
has had 4 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 25/05/2003.
(5) KIRIS ALINDA HOTEL, KEMER, ANTALYA, TURKEY
has had 2 cases
associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was
13/06/2003.
(6) THE YELLOW ROSE HOTEL, GUMBET, BODRUM, MUGLA, TURKEY
has had 2 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 23/06/2003
(7) GRAND ONS HOTEL, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
has had 3 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 04/08/2002.
(8) HOTEL GRAND SAVUR,
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
has had 3 cases associated with this
cluster, onset of most recent case was 04/09/2003
(9) HOTEL GRAND ONS, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
has had 3 cases associated with this cluster, onset of most recent case was 04/08/2003.
SOURCE....EWGLINET Surveillance System
Legionnaires'
disease suspected in death
July 9, 2003
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.
Health officials are investigating a death they suspect is linked to a
possible outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the Hampton Roads area.
The director of the Virginia Beach Health Department, said
Wednesday an autopsy is planned. The Virginia Beach man died Sunday.
Officials did not release his identity.
Health officials are also
looking at the origins of 14 Legionnaires' cases.
We are still investigating to see if there's any common sources or links a spokesman
said
Thirty-seven Virginians have been diagnosed with the disease this year,
three times the number of reported cases for the same period last year, said
Betty Rouse, an epidemiologist for the state health department.
**********
Legionnaires' disease kills Beach man
Health officials say an outbreak of Legionaires' disease in
Hampton Roads has sickened 14 people, killing a Virginia Beach man.
Virginia Beach health department officials have not released the man's name,
but say he died Sunday.
The health department director says they have not determined the cause of
death, but says he did have Legionnaires'.
According to the state Department of Health, 37 people in Virginia have been
diagnosed this year with the disease, which is a type of bacterial
pneumonia. That's three times the number of reported cases for the same
period last year.
Health officials have not found any links among the recent Virginia cases.
Six cases have been reported in Virginia Beach, along with three in Norfolk,
two on the Eastern Shore, one in Chesapeake and two on the Peninsula.
**********
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.
Legionnaires' disease makes deadly return
July 10, 2003
Two Peninsula residents have developed Legionnaires' disease from an
outbreak that has affected 14 people in the Hampton Roads area, health
officials confirmed Wednesday.
In both cases, the patients are male, at least 40 years old and live within
the Peninsula health district, authorities said.
The district includes Newport News, Poquoson, James City County, York County
and Williamsburg. Hampton is controlled separately.
In addition to the Peninsula cases, six others were reported in Virginia
Beach, three in Norfolk, two on the Eastern Shore and one in Chesapeake,
said Michelle Stoll, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Health in
Richmond.
A Virginia Beach man died Sunday after contracting the disease, although
health officials have not yet determined if the disease was the cause of
death. Thirty-seven people in Virginia have been diagnosed with the disease
so far this year, two more than for all of last year.
The last deaths in Virginia from the disease were in 1996, when two people
died out of 23 confirmed cases. The outbreak was spread by a hot tub display
at a home improvement store in southwest Virginia.
Dr. Elaine Perry, Peninsula health district director, said the disease
cannot be passed from person to person, and health officials have not
established a link among the recent cases.
Outbreaks of legionellosis occur after a person breathes mist from water
sources like air-conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, humidifiers
and hot tubs contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. There is no evidence
of people becoming infected from household window air-conditioning units.
The Legionella organism can be found in many types of water systems and can
reproduce in high numbers in warm, stagnant water, typically 90 to 105
degrees.
Stoll said the recent outbreak should not be a cause for concern, but
recommended that people in a high-risk category for the disease or anyone
experiencing symptoms of lower respiratory infection consult their
physician.
"Early detection is the key," she said.
The disease affects people of all ages, but middle-age and older people,
especially smokers or those with chronic lung disease, are particularly
susceptible. Those with a suppressed immune system from illnesses such as
cancer, kidney failure, diabetes or AIDS run an increased risk of
contracting the disease. Also at higher risk are those who take medication
to suppress the immune system.
11 July 2003
Twelve cases of Legionnaires' disease, a potentially fatal bacterial disease with pneumonia-like symptoms, have been reported in Delaware since May 29, state health officials said Thursday.
Two people died from the disease.
Dr. Maureen Dempsey, director of the Delaware Division of Public Health, said the cases do not appear to be related and there is no public health risk. But health officials will continue to investigate whether there is any connection because of the number of cases reported in a short time period, she said.
"There are no common denominators between any of the infections that leads us to believe there is an outbreak," Dempsey said. "There is no cluster of cases, no common source or related factors."
Seven of the 12 cases were reported in New Castle County, and two were in Sussex. Three cases involved non-residents who received care in Delaware.
The range for Legionnaires' cases in the state is 16 to 22 in any given year, Dempsey said. There was an average 13.8 cases per year in Delaware between 1995 and 2002, she said.
Legionnaires' disease usually occurs as isolated cases, not in large outbreaks, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mandi Morrow, whose father, Thomas Miller, 56, died June 11 from the disease, said the public should have been made aware of the number of cases in Delaware.
"If there's West Nile, they will tell you if you go outside, you might get bitten by a mosquito," said Morrow, 25, of Newark. "My dad didn't go to the doctor because he thought he had the flu. He could have lived if he went to the doctor [earlier]. I think this is public knowledge if it could save somebody's life."
No information was available about the second death in Delaware.
Greg Patterson, spokesman for Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, said Minner was told Thursday about the caseload.
"The number of cases in one month is certainly something that gets your attention," he said.
The southern Atlantic region has shown an increase in Legionnaires' cases so far this year, with 161 reported cases, up from 89 in 2002, Dempsey said. The region includes Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
She could not explain the increase in cases and said the cases were isolated.
There were 549 reported cases in the United States for the week ending June 28, 2003. That number is up from 416 at the same time last year, state health officials said.
About 8,000 to 18,000 people get Legionnaires' disease in the United States each year, and 5 percent to 15 percent die from it, Dempsey said.
Morrow said her father quit smoking 10 years ago and had no other health problems. She added that her father went from being in good health to displaying flu-like symptoms to experiencing massive organ failure in less than a week.
"It was all very fast," she said. "I have no idea how he got it. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Delaware USA 16 July 2003
State confirms Legionnaires' cases in Sussex
Dagsboro man recovering from June battle with illness
State health officials are monitoring 12 reported cases of Legionnaires' disease that occurred between May 29 and July 5 in Delaware, one of which was fatal.
Two recent patients, both of whom survived, were residents of Sussex County, the Delaware Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed on July 14.
The state's lone death from Legionnaires' was from New Castle County, the DPH reported.
According to the DPH, current cases in Delaware are not believed to be directly related but are part of a larger increase of Legionnaires' in the south-Atlantic states this year.
One of the two Sussex County patients treated for the ailment was Dagsboro resident Harvey Justice.
In mid-June, Justice said he began feeling ill from flu-like symptoms, and only at the insistence of his wife did he visit his family doctor.
"I felt sick on Monday, and felt no better on Friday, and didn't have the strength to argue," he said.
Recognizing that Justice did not show signs of having the flu despite his symptoms, his doctor immediately sent Justice to Beebe Medical Center in Lewes. For three days, Justice ran a high fever that doctors treated with a cooling blanket.
Justice was shortly thereafter released with two prescriptions of powerful antibiotics and instructions to "take it easy" for a few weeks.
"I'm lucky I got into the hospital," said Justice. "Otherwise I might have been a goner."
Legionnaires' has a 30 percent fatality rate, but can be treated with common antibiotics, and is not spread from one person to another, DPH officials said.
"I think it's important for people to know that it's not contagious, and that they should get themselves checked out if they show symptoms," cautioned Justice.
Delaware, Maryland, Washing-ton, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have between them reported 161 cases of Legionnaires' this year, compared with 89 cases in 2002, said DPH officials.
Brendan Flannery, an epidemic fellow and Legionnaires' disease specialist with the CDC, said this year's increase in cases has public health officials baffled.
"We really don't have an explanation for the increase this year, and there are very few links between the cases that can point to a common source," he explained.
The cases in Delaware, and indeed the entire East Coast, are geographically disparate, Flannery said, and therefore do not point to an outbreak from a common point source. In a situation where multiple patients spent time in the same place, officials can point to that as the likely source of contamination.
The DPH confirmed that the cases currently being investigated in Delaware are of a diverse cross-section: age, gender, occupation. In fact no common thread has been found, said DPH officials.
"The states are currently taking the lead in gathering information that we will examine to try to find an answer," Flannery said. "But right now, we can't identify what is causing this. There are too many possibilities."
For the time being, the source of his illness is not what concerns Justice -- he just wants to feel normal again.
"I'm still not perfectly straightened out, and that may take some time they tell me," he said. Thankfully, his ordeal is largely over. "I felt absolutely sicker than a dog. I wouldn't wish this on anybody"
Delaware USA
2nd death reported from Legionnaires' disease
Sussex County man, 77, died Wednesday
31 July 2003
One Delaware man has died and another has become ill from Legionnaires' disease within the past week, the state Division of Public Health reported Wednesday.
The 77-year-old Sussex County man who died early Wednesday morning had the 15th case of the disease reported in the state and was the second Delaware resident to die from it since May 29. He was diagnosed July 26. On June 11, Thomas Miller, 56, of Newark, died from Legionnaires'.
The other case announced Wednesday was that of an 82-year-old New Castle County man diagnosed with the disease on Tuesday. The 12 other people infected have recovered.
The two cases announced Wednesday are the first diagnosed in the state since July 14.
"This is an unusual situation," said state epidemiologist Leroy Hathcock, "and it's being seen all along the East Coast."
The south Atlantic region of the country, which includes Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida has reported 237 cases of Legionnaires' disease this year, compared with 97 last year, said public health spokeswoman Donna Sharp.
There is no discernible pattern to the outbreaks, Hathcock said. Eight cases were from New Castle County, three were from Sussex County and four involved out-of-state residents, all of whom were hospitalized in Delaware.
The recent spate of cases also is unusual because they have happened within two months, Hathcock said. Since 1995, the state has averaged 14 cases a year, but they are often spread throughout the year. Since 1992, there has been only one serious outbreak, when 20 cases were reported. Not one was fatal, however.
Although Hathcock mentioned the preponderance of rain the East Coast received this year as a possible cause, he could not say why there was such an outbreak without further investigation. He said the state is working with the other south Atlantic region states and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Investigators have interviewed all the people involved in the 15 cases reported, he said, and have found no common denominator. "That's why we're working with other states and the CDC," Hathcock said. "This doesn't look like a typical outbreak."
Birmingham England
10 July 2003
Tests
at hospital after two legionnaires' disease deaths
Hospital
officials are waiting for the results of tests for Legionnaires' disease today
following the death of two patients thought to have contracted the bug.
The patients, who were being treated at the neuroscience department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, both developed chest conditions and subsequently tested positive for the water-borne disease.
The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust has carried out an inspection of water systems at the hospital and is awaiting the outcome of the tests.
It has also written to GPs in the area asking them to be alert for any patients developing chest infections after being treated at the hospital at the same time as those who died.
The first patient died on June 17 and the second two days ago.
Oviedo Spain
