Sydney: Health officials are looking into a rise in Legionnaires' disease cases in Potts Point, a central Sydney suburb, after one person died and six others were hospitalised.
According to the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD), the outbreak began in May and has affected seven people so far. The patients, aged between 45 and 95, are not known to each other, but health officials believe they may have been exposed to the same contaminated water source in the area.
Among the confirmed cases is a man in his 80s who fell ill in late June and later died. The other six people were treated in the hospital. Five have since been discharged, while the sixth patient is still recovering.
Potts Point is a well-known and densely populated area just two kilometres from the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. In June, SESLHD issued a public health alert urging anyone who had recently been in Potts Point to watch for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, which include fever, chills, cough, and shortness of breath.
Dr. Vicky Sheppeard, Director of the Public Health Unit, said that investigations are ongoing to identify the exact source of the infection. “We are working closely with the City of Sydney to test potential sources of contaminated water in the locations visited by the patients,” she said. “We’ve already asked building owners in the area to disinfect their cooling towers twice since June.”
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It is not spread from person to person, but people can get infected by inhaling tiny water droplets from contaminated sources such as cooling towers, air conditioning systems, and fountains.
Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure and can also include muscle aches, headaches, confusion, nausea, or diarrhoea. Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and advise anyone with symptoms to seek medical attention promptly.
