The nightmare of Legionnaires' disease is resurfacing after a case was detected in a newborn at a private clinic in Nicosia; the infant was rushed to Makarios Hospital, where the infant is being treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The incident brings back painful memories of the tragedy that occurred about 18 years ago, in which three newborns died.
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SEE ALSO: Legionellosis in a newborn: Bacteria found in the clinic’s water supply; facility shut down
It was December 2008 when 11 newborns were infected with Legionella bacteria at a private clinic in Nicosia; three of them lost their lives, as Cypriot society watched the case in shock.
The newborns were subsequently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Makarios Hospital.
READ ALSO: Alarm at a private clinic: A newborn was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at Makarios Hospital
As it turned out, the Legionella bacteria had developed due to a twofold problem: stagnant water in the clinic’s water pipes and the failure to disinfect the water system on an annual basis.
The newborns became infected when the contaminated water was placed in a humidifier, that is, a system that evaporates water into the air, which had been placed in the room where the infants were located, causing the infants to inhale it.
SEE ALSO: What is Legionnaires’ disease and how is it transmitted?
