Second person dies during Legionnaires outbreak
A man in his 60s has become the second person to die from Legionnaires amidst the outbreak in Victoria.
The man became unwell on July 27th and was admitted to hospital, where he died on August 1st.
His death comes just days after a woman in her 90s also died from the disease.
Victoria's Chief Health Officer Clare Looker confirmed that the state is now grappling with 77 confirmed cases, including two in the past 24 hours and another seven suspected cases.
Most people with the disease are over 40 years of age and are believed to have been exposed between July 5th and July 20th.
Despite the worrying case number, Looker confirmed that authorities have seen a reduction in cases and believe the situation is stabilising.
The source of the outbreak is being linked to a cooling tower in the Laverton North and Derrimut area of Melbourne, after more than 50 sites have been inspected.
Authorities believe there is a high likelihood they have already tested and treated the source, while sharing that weather patterns could explain the extent of the outbreak.
They have contacted another 1000 businesses across Melbourne, telling them to self-test and report to the Department of Health, Looker said.
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the legionella bacteria, which is found in natural bodies of water as well as spas, warm water systems, potting mix and artificial systems that use water for cooling.
Symptoms usually include a chest infection, aches, headache, fever, cough and chills.
Image credits: 7News