Legionnaires Outbreak Traced to Cooling Tower
Deadly Outbreak Source Identified
Victorian health authorities have identified a cooling tower as the suspected source of a Legionnaires disease outbreak that has killed one person and sickened more than 100 others.
Tracing the Source
The cooling tower, located in Melbourne's west, was tested after health officials narrowed down the outbreak's geographic location to a five-kilometer radius in southeast London.
Legionnaires Disease
Legionnaires disease is a bacterial infection caused by the legionella bacteria, which thrives in warm, stagnant water. Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, and muscle aches.
Outbreak Spread
The outbreak has now spread to 107 people, with the majority of cases occurring in the city's southeastern suburbs.
Deadly Toll
A woman in her 90s has died from the disease, the first fatality related to the outbreak.
Highest Cases Since Aquarium Outbreak
This outbreak is the largest in Victoria since the deadly Melbourne Aquarium outbreak in 2000, which resulted in the deaths of two people.
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