June 25, 2015
No new Legionnaires’ cases linked to cooling towers pleasing
With no new notifications for a month, health officials are confident that the source of the Legionella bacteria, which
hospitalised six Cantabrians, is no longer a public health risk.
Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink says the last case of Legionnaires’ disease (Legionella pneumophila
serogroup 1) was notified on 25 May 2015.
“It has now been a month since the last case linked to the Hillsborough industrial area was notified to us,” Dr Pink
says.
He says maintenance and treatment of cooling systems is critical in minimising the risk of legionnaires’ disease to
local communities.
“The fact there’s been no new cases is a tribute to local businesses who have heeded our call to treat their cooling
towers,” Dr Pink says.
ends