Sydney, April 17 A person has died and 12 others have been infected after contracting Legionnaires' disease in an outbreak linked to central Sydney, the Department of Health in the Australian state of New South Wales said on Thursday.
There are now 12 confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease in people who spent time in central Sydney between March 13 and April 5, up from the six cases that had been diagnosed as of April 10, the department said.
It said that one of the confirmed cases died in the hospital. Of the 12 reported cases, 11 have been hospitalised for treatment.
NSW Health on Thursday urged anyone who spent time in central Sydney and surrounding areas in late March or early April to be aware of symptoms of Legionnaires' disease, including fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by infection with Legionella bacteria, which is found naturally in fresh water. NSW Health said that symptoms can develop up to 10 days after exposure, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Outbreaks sometimes occur when bacteria from environmental sources such as cooling towers atop large buildings become contaminated," Vicky Sheppeard, director of the southeast Sydney local public health unit, said in a statement.
"NSW Health continues to work closely with the City of Sydney to identify, inspect and sample any cooling towers in the CBD potentially implicated in the outbreak. To date, over 165 cooling towers have been inspected and tested," she said.
According to the World Health Organisation, the Legionnaires' disease mortality rate can be as high as 80 per cent in untreated immunosuppressed patients.
Most people catch Legionnaires' disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. Older adults, smokers, and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires' disease.
Although Legionnaires' disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart.
A mild form of Legionnaires' disease — known as Pontiac fever — can produce fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn't infect your lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days.
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