Legionella outbreak focus in Caminha remained unidentified
The 'legionella' outbreak that emerged in November in Caminha affected 10 people, caused one death and the source of contamination has not been identified, the Alto Minho Health Delegate revealed today to Lusa.
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País Legionella
"The source of contamination has not been identified. Samples were collected from 10 sites [which] were sent to INSA [Ricardo Jorge Public Health Institute], but the results were all negative. That is, 'legionella' was not identified in any of the samples," explained Luís Delgado.
The conclusions of the epidemiological investigation into the outbreak that infected 10 people and caused one death in that municipality in the district of Viana do Castelo were completed in March and sent to the Directorate-General of Health, added the Alto Minho Health delegate, who refused to provide the document to Lusa because it is a "technical report".
Luís Delgado indicated that "26 sites where there were aerosol emission points were identified", with 10 samples being collected for analysis.
The official stated that the outbreak "caused 10 infections and one death", but could not specify the date of the death related to the 'legionella' infection.
On 20 November, Caminha City Council revealed that the number of people infected with 'legionella' in the municipality had risen to eight and the Health authorities of the Xunta de Galicia revealed to Lusa that they were studying with Portugal the relationship between that outbreak and another in that Spanish region, with 10 cases of infection by the bacteria.
Lusa contacted the Health authority of the Xunta de Galicia today, but has not yet received a response.
In Caminha, the last case of infection reported by the local authority to the media concerned the eighth 'legionella' infection, which was an "83-year-old woman, resident in Vila Praia de Âncora", who was then "hospitalised in Viana do Castelo hospital, in a stable condition".
The first Caminha patient infected with 'legionella' was notified to the health authorities on 10 November.
Legionnaires' disease, caused by the bacterium 'Legionella pneumophila', is contracted by inhaling droplets of contaminated water vapour (aerosols) of such small dimensions that they carry the bacteria to the lungs, depositing it in the pulmonary alveoli.
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