By Stephen Linnell
THE Department of Human Services (DHA) last week closed down a Hoppers Crossing car wash as part of its investigation into an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease that has resulted in five people ending up in hospital.
Department spokesman Bram Alexander told Star The Grand car wash in Old Geelong Rd, Hoppers Crossing, may have been the source of the outbreak.
Four of the five people who have fallen ill confirmed they had used the car wash. “It came up as one of the common links,” Mr Alexander said.
Two people – a 55-year-old man from Seabrook and a 51-year-old Hoppers Crossing man joined three others who were admitted to the Werribee Mercy Hospital last week after contracting the disease.
“We had discussions with the car wash people on Friday and they voluntarily closed. We wanted to make sure the water there was disinfected. It may have had something to do with how the water was heated,” Mr Alexander said.
He said there were no cooling towers at the premises. The two cooling towers in the Werribee Central Business District were cleared of containing the disease.
DHS is investigating the outbreak and has asked anyone with symptoms including headache, fever, chills, coughs, muscle aches and pains to visit their doctor.
A 30-year-old Werribee man and a 48-year-old woman from Point Cook were treated and discharged from hospital last week.
A 45-year-old Werribee man was released from hospital late last week after becoming the third Wyndham resident to contract the disease.
Mr Alexander ruled out Werribee Plaza Shopping centre as a potential source as it did not have a cooling tower system.
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Mr Alexander ruled out Werribee Plaza Shopping centre as a potential source as it did not have a cooling tower system.
The legionella bacteria occurs naturally in the environment, mainly in water and soil. Its existence can increase markedly in man-made aquatic environments with warm, circulating water, such as air conditioning cooling towers.
As a precaution, all cooling tower systems in the Werribee area were tested by DHS officials and disinfected.
Advice about the disease has been distributed to hospital emergency departments and local doctors.
Infection is acquired through breathing in fine droplets of water that contain bacteria, which are often vented from the towers.
“The department is writing to all operators of cooling tower systems in the state to remind them of their responsibility to follow regulations about proper maintenance of their systems, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr John Carnie said.
“There is no reason for the residents of Werribee not to go about their normal business or activities.”
Onset of the disease can occur up to 10 days after initial contact with the bacteria. The three patients developed with symptoms between 18 April and 2 May.
The risk of contracting the disease increases with age, especially amongst smokers. People with chronic medical conditions that weaken the body’s immune system such as cancer, lung disease, diabetes and transplant recipients may be at increased risk.
There have been 17 cases of Legionnaires’ disease this year in Victoria.
