Vic: Fourth Legionnaires' case reported
MELBOURNE, April 19 AAP - A new case of Legionnaires' disease has been reported inMelbourne, bringing to four the number of victims diagnosed with the disease in the cityin the past month.
Health authorities suspect the patients have all become infected from the same sourcein central Melbourne.
City workers and visitors to the CBD, however, have been given the nod that they cango about their business as usual.
Victoria's chief health officer, Dr John Carnie, said the latest victim of the potentiallyfatal disease was a 51-year-old man who was recovering in hospital.
Dr Carnie said the case may be linked to the other three which all involved men whohad been visiting the same part of central Melbourne.
As a result of the earlier cases, none of which has been fatal, health authoritieswere checking air conditioning cooling towers around the corner of Collins and Swanstonstreets.
Dr Carnie said the latest case came as no surprise.
"Because the incubation period of the disease is between two and 10 days, this additionalcase is not unexpected," Dr Carnie said in a statement.
He said cooling towers in the suspect area had been inspected, tested and disinfected.
"Despite this case there is no reason for people not to attend events in the city orgo abut their normal business." he said.
Dr Carnie did, however, suggest that anyone who had been in the city in the past threeto four weeks and who had suffered persistent `flu-like symptoms to seek medical advice.
The latest case is the 28th notified to the Department of Human Services this year,but is well down on last year when 49 cases were notified in the first three months.
AAP mh/gfr/mjm/sb
KEYWORD: LEGIONNAIRES
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