While the cause of the outbreak has not yet been confirmed, sampling of the city’s water system has identified Legionella to be present. As a result the supply was chlorinated over last weekend.
Although the presence of the bacteria in the water supply is not unusual – Legionella will colonise man-made as well as natural water systems - it has been postulated that infrequently used parts of the system may have allowed levels of the bacteria to increase during the recent very warm spell and subsequent demand spread the organisms.
Rzeszow has been a “hub” for both humanitarian and military activity since the start of the war in Ukraine, as well as having a large number of US troops stationed there.
As per my insight last month (9th August 2023), the Summer months normally see increases in the number of reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the UK and the generally warmer, wetter, weather we are seeing more of could be a further contributory factor to the increasing numbers of cases we have been seeing.