Legionnaire's disease kills two in Spain
AFP - [email protected]
Published: 17 Sep, 2014 CET.
Updated: Wed 17 Sep 2014 08:47 CET
Two people have died and 20 others have fallen ill in an outbreak of the lung infection Legionnaire's disease in northeastern Spain, regional health authorities said on Tuesday.
Twelve men and 10 women aged between 45 and 94 have contracted the disease since September 5 in the town of Sabadell, near Barcelona, the Catalonia regional health department said in a statement.
"Two of the patients, both of whom had risk factors and major previous pathologies, have died," it said late Tuesday, without further identifying the patients.
Of the others, 17 remained in hospital and three had been discharged, it said.
Legionnaire's disease is a lung infection caused by the legionella bacteria. It is not contagious but can multiply in water and air conditioning systems.
The health department said it had not detected the source of the outbreak but suspected it was close to places in Sabadell frequented by the patients.
Comments
See Also
Twelve men and 10 women aged between 45 and 94 have contracted the disease since September 5 in the town of Sabadell, near Barcelona, the Catalonia regional health department said in a statement.
"Two of the patients, both of whom had risk factors and major previous pathologies, have died," it said late Tuesday, without further identifying the patients.
Of the others, 17 remained in hospital and three had been discharged, it said.
Legionnaire's disease is a lung infection caused by the legionella bacteria. It is not contagious but can multiply in water and air conditioning systems.
The health department said it had not detected the source of the outbreak but suspected it was close to places in Sabadell frequented by the patients.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.