Six people have been hospitalised and one has died, due to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in London Ontario, Canada. At the time of writing, there are 24 cases linked to the outbreak.
With recent events surrounding a large Legionella outbreak in Australia, it is concerning to read in the press of another occurrence on 26th July, this time on the opposite side of the globe. This was following a cluster of cases, of what was first thought be pneumonia, being reported to The Middlesex-London Health Unit. This outbreak is not the first the city has seen, with a previous incident in 2019 when six people had to be hospitalised.
So far, the 24 cases are linked to the outbreak all located within a five-kilometre radius in the southeast side of the city. Six people are believed to have been hospitalised over the last few weeks but four have since been discharged.
Due to the sheer volume of potential sources in the area, including large numbers of evaporative cooling systems, it is likely that the Public Health Ontario investigation will be lengthy. However, evidence of Legionella is already reported to have been found in three cooling towers in the local area. Several additional samples to test for Legionella bacteria have been taken and sent to Public Health Ontario, to help identify the exact source.
It is not uncommon during the summer months to see a rise in the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the UK. Another outbreak occurring so soon after the recent Australia incident is a reminder of the importance of good Legionella management and what can happen if things go wrong. Assurity Consulting has over 35 years’ experience in water, and we can support you with your management of Legionella.