A total of 32 people have been affected by severe pneumonitis caused by Legionella in the Greater Linz area. According to reports released Saturday by the state of Upper Austria, the Linz-Land District Authority, the Linz Magistrate, and the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), three individuals have died, and five patients are currently receiving hospital treatment.
Health authorities are continuing their investigation to pinpoint potential sources of infection. To date, approximately 200 water samples have been taken from residential buildings, workplaces, accommodation facilities, and technical systems, with the majority analyzed at AGES’s reference laboratory. A relevant serogroup 1 Legionella strain was detected in a cooling system belonging to a commercial operation near Linz-Leonding. This system has been shut down and disinfected, and further sampling is planned to verify the success of these measures. However, current findings indicate that another cooling system in the industrial area east of the A7 does not show microbiological evidence linking it to the outbreak.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious, sometimes fatal pneumonia caused by inhaling water mist containing Legionella bacteria. Certain groups are particularly vulnerable, including the elderly, smokers, immunocompromised individuals, and people with pre-existing health conditions. To reduce the risk of infection, it is recommended that water be allowed to run for a sufficient period after long periods of standing, and hot water systems should be regularly maintained.
