NSW Health is calling on people who’ve visited Sydney’s CBD to be on the lookout for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, with five new cases of the disease associated with the area.
Issuing the call, NSW Health said all five people had been identified with the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, which is often associated with contaminated cooling towers of large buildings.
“People can be exposed to the bacteria if contaminated water particles from the cooling system are emitted into the air and breathed in,” NSW Health said.
“The five people, two women and three men, ranging in age from their 40s to 70s, independently visited locations between Museum Station, York Street, Park Street and Martin Place in the 10 days prior to their onset of symptoms,” it said.
NSW Health said all five people had been admitted to hospital for treatment for pneumonia.
The Department said symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease could develop up to 10 days from the time of exposure and included fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath.
It said infection may lead to severe chest infections, such as pneumonia.
“NSW Health environmental health officers are working with the City of Sydney to review testing and maintenance records of all cooling towers in the CBD area to prioritise inspection and sampling of potential source towers,” NSW Health said.
“These five cases follow a number of recently identified cases of Legionnaires’ disease throughout Sydney.”
It said Legionnaires’ disease could not be spread from person to person.
NSW Health’s two-page fact sheet on Legionnaires’ disease can be accessed at this PS News link.
