A MAN has died and four other people have been treated after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Footscray.
A western suburbs man in his 50s died early Thursday at the Western Hospital while a West Footscray woman, 75, remains in Sunshine Hospital.
A St Albans man, 56, Yarraville woman, 93, and Footscray man, 69, have been treated in hospital and discharged.
Acting Health Department chief health officer, Dr Michael Ackland, said all had spent time within a two-kilometre radius of central Footscray.
Legionnaires’ disease is acquired through breathing in fine water droplets containing the bacteria, such as spray drifts which are vented off from cooling towers.
There are about two dozen air conditioning cooling towers in the area, with one likely to be the source of the outbreak.
Health Department teams are taking samples from and disinfecting all towers in the area.
“All the towers are now being disinfected and I am confident this cleaning should eliminate the risk,” Dr Ackland said.
The cases were notified between December 8 and yesterday, when the common Footscray link was confirmed.
“All five people had visited the general area within a 2km radius of central Footscray, and it is important that anyone else who has been in the vicinity who develops flu-like symptoms sees their doctor,” Dr Ackland said.
“There should be no risk to people travelling in the Footscray area now, as all the cooling towers are now being disinfected, cleaned and rendered safe.”
Legionnaires’ disease causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, chills, muscle aches and pains, followed by respiratory problems and pneumonia developed over three or four days.
Onset can be up to 10 days after the initial contact with the bacteria.
High risk groups in the community are people aged over 50, heavy smokers, heavy drinkers, people with diabetes, people with chronic lung disease and those who are immunocompromised.
