A MAN has died and four other people have been treated after an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in Footscray.
A western suburbs man in his 50s died early Thursday at the Western Hospital, while a West Footscray woman, 75, remains in Sunshine Hospital.
A St Albans man, 56, a Yarraville woman, 93, and a Footscray man, 69, were treated in hospital and discharged.
Acting Health Department chief health officer Dr Michael Ackland, said all had spent time within a two-kilometre radius of central Footscray.
Legionnaires’ disease is acquired through breathing in fine water droplets containing the bacteria. Often the source has been spray drifts, vented off from cooling towers.
There are about two dozen airconditioning cooling towers in the area, with one likely to be the source of the outbreak.
Health Department teams are taking samples from, and disinfecting, all towers in the area.
“All the towers are now being disinfected and I am confident this cleaning should eliminate the risk,” Dr Ackland said. —Benjamin Millar
