Industrial property eyed as Legionnaires’ source
Canterbury DHB wants industrial property owners to ensure water-based cooling systems are being properly maintained.
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The Canterbury District Health Board wants industrial property owners to ensure water-based cooling systems are being properly maintained.
It made the call in response to a small cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases in the Hillsborough area.
Since the beginning of April, laboratory testing has confirmed that six adults have been hospitalised by the bacteria Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1. One contaminated cooling tower has been identified and treated.
It is possible that this cooling tower was the source of the four cases notified in April.
Two more cases were identified during May, indicating there may be another source.
Possible sources for this type of Legionnaires’ disease include cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Ramon Pink is urging businesses in the area to sample and treat their cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
The Legionella bacteria can live in water-based cooling systems, and can become dangerous when airborne.
“Businesses with these systems need to regularly sample and, where necessary, treat them to prevent the bacteria from circulating,” she says.
Dr Pink says the risk to people living or working in the area is low. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include influenza-like symptoms, a fever, muscle aches and a headache.
Home air conditioners and heat pumps and vehicle air conditioners are not a source of legionella bacteria.
Chris Hutching
Tue, 16 Jun 2015
Tue, 16 Jun 2015
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Industrial property eyed as Legionnaires’ source
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