London, Ont., public health officials have declared an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease in the region, which officials say has left one person dead and more than 40 others infected.
The Middlesex-London health unit says there have been 43 cases of legionnaires’ disease in the city of London this year, one of which led to the death of the individual, according to a July 8 news release.
Most of the cases took place over the last week and nearly all of the affected individuals live or work within a six-kilometre radius of one another in the southeast side of the city, health officials say.
Legionnaires’ disease is a “serious” respiratory illness caused by Legionella bacteria, which can lead to pneumonia and be life-threatening in severe cases, according to the health unit. Following exposure to the bacteria, symptoms usually develop within two to 10 days and can include high fever, chills, dry cough, and shortness of breath….