The Director of the Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Antoni Mateu said three more people died as a result of a second Legionella outbreak in Ripon (Barcelona), a village near Sabadell, according to a La Espana Nueva report today (computer translated).
This follows another Legionella outbreak two weeks ago Sabadell, which killed four people and infected 34 others, 17 of which are still hospitalized.
The Ripon outbreak affected 5 people total ages 63-84, one is still hospitalized and one has been discharged.
It appears to be the same strain in each outbreak despite the foci being 11 kilometers apart.
Legionella are bacteria that are found naturally in the environment, usually in water. They are commonly associated with the cooling towers found in large-scale air conditioners and hot tubs. They are not spread from person to person but instead are transmitted via mist or vapor containing the bacteria. Most people exposed to the bacteria do not become ill, but in some people it can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form ofpneumonia. The bacteria can also cause Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
