Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Poland, five Poles have already died

An outbreak of legionellosis, also known as Legionnaires’ disease, has occurred in southern Poland. According to the Polsat TV channel, 5 people have already died from this bacterial infection in the Rzeszów region, and they are currently looking for the source of infection in tap water.

According to the publication, the last victim was a 79-year-old patient who died in the hospital. Authorities are awaiting the results of water samples from studies that may help determine the cause of the infection, as early as Monday, August 28.

It is planned that a large-scale disinfection of the city water supply will be carried out next weekend, and today a meeting of the operational headquarters for emergencies will be held. Local doctors assure that legionellosis does not pose a danger to residents who do not suffer from severe or chronic diseases. For example, a 79-year-old female patient who died of an infection had a history of multiple illnesses, including cancer.

At the moment, several dozen patients have been hospitalized in Rzeszow, who developed symptoms similar to those of legionella infection – fever, general malaise and shortness of breath.

Legionellosis affects the lung tissues and is characterized by the development of a severe form of pneumonia. The first cases of outbreaks of this disease were recorded in 1976 at the convention of the American Legion, hence the second name of the disease. The legionella bacterium is a parasite that breeds in amoebas and prefers to live in water with a temperature of 35 to 50 degrees. The plumbing is the ideal place for its reproduction. However, the infection is not transmitted directly between people.

According to statistics, 10-15 cases of legionellosis are recorded annually per one million inhabitants of the planet. People over the age of 50 are most at risk, more often men. Mortality is about 10%.