Fraser Health says “less than 10” people have been hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease, amid a recent “cluster” of cases in Surrey’s Guildford area.
“We started to see a cluster of these cases,” said Fraser Health medical health officer Dr. Aamir Bharmal.
“Because it was over a short period of time, many of them were from the same place, we wanted to start to investigate what a potential source would be.”
Legionnaires’ is a form of pneumonia that can be contracted from a naturally-occurring bacteria called Legionella, found in freshwater, groundwater and soil.
But it can also grow and spread in human mechanical water systems, where it can become a problem.
“When that occurs and it grows and spreads it gets out into the air, and it becomes a mist which people inhale. And that can potentially cause that pneumonia which we call Legionnaires’ disease,” said Bharmal.
WATCH: Quebec coroner suggests tougher rules after legionnaires’ disease outbreak
He added that it’s still unclear what the source of the cases is, but acknowledged it’s possible it is related to people seeking cool indoor areas to escape the B.C. wildfire smoke.
“That is certainly one of the possible mechanisms, in these types of situations, especially with that very high heat we had one to two weeks ago,” he said.
Bharmal stressed that the majority of the public is not at risk from Legionnaires’, which is generally only a concern for people with weakened immune systems.
People who are elderly, are smokers, or who have chronic lung conditions such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) are at the highest risk.
However, he said anyone manifesting pneumonia-like symptoms, including cough, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain or diarrhea — especially if they’ve been in the Guildford area in the last 10 days — should visit their doctor.
WATCH: Legionnaires’ outbreak declared at Alderney Manor
Outside one Guildford community centre, some locals said they were concerned about the prospect of an outbreak.
“Hopefully they take measures, right? They should.”
READ MORE: Legionella class action may have more defendants
Others expressed surprise the cases had cropped up.
“I haven’t even heard of Legionnaires’ since the ’80s, so who knows,” another resident said.
While in most cases Legionnaires’ disease an be treated with antibiotics, in extreme cases it can be fatal.
An outbreak in Quebec in 2012 killed 14 people, while one in New York in 2015 killed 12.
-With files from Jill Bennett
- Buzz kill? Gen Z less interested in coffee than older Canadians, survey shows
- ‘She gets to be 10’: Ontario child’s heart donated to girl the same age
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
- Canada updating sperm donor screening criteria for men who have sex with men
Comments