NSW Health advises people who have been in the Sydney CBD area for the past 10 days to be on the lookout for symptoms of legionnaire’s disease, as five people who have developed the disease have spent time in the area during the last three weeks.
The five people have been identified with the bacterium that causes legionnaire’s disease, which is often associated with contaminated cooling towers of large buildings. People can be exposed to bacteria if contaminated water particles are emitted from the air cooling system and inhaled.
The five people, two women and three men, aged between 40 and 70, independently visited locations between Museum Station, York Street, Park Street and Martin Place during the 10 days prior to the appearance of the symptoms. All five people have been admitted to hospital for pneumonia.
Symptoms of legionnaire’s disease can develop up to 10 days after exposure to airborne particles and include fever, chills, cough and shortness of breath, and can lead to serious chest infections. such as pneumonia.
People who develop legionnaire’s disease are diagnosed with a chest x-ray and a urine test and usually require antibiotic treatment at the hospital.
NSW Health Environmental Health Officers are working with Sydney City Council to review the testing and maintenance records of all cooling towers in the CBD area to prioritize inspection and sampling of potential source towers.
These five cases follow a series of recently identified cases of legionary disease throughout Sydney. NSW’s public health units monitor all cases of legionnaire’s disease and work closely with councils to manage cooling towers.
Routine testing of cooling towers helps identify contamination early and allows for quick cleaning and corrective action. Legionnaire’s disease cannot be transmitted from person to person.
Building owners must ensure that their cooling towers are well maintained and that they meet the requirements of the 2012 Public Health Regulations.