By Christine de Kock
MARIBYRNONG City Council is seeking further information about two diagnosed and one suspected case of legionnaires’ disease in the municipality, after the Department of Human Services (DHS) made the cases public last Thursday.
Maribyrnong deputy mayor Dina Lynch said the council had not been contacted about the matter.
“Council became aware of these cases through the DHS media release issued late this afternoon,” she said on Thursday.
“We will be seeking more information from DHS about the investigation.
“It would have been good to have been notified prior to this – as a courtesy.”
Ms Lynch said the council’s health officers were available to assist in an investigation at the request of DHS.
“We would expect to be involved if an outbreak source was known and posed an immediate threat to our local community,” she said.
A DHS spokesman said the department did not have to alert the council about the cases and only decided to make it public on Friday when a suspected third case came forward.
A Tottenham man, 48, and Seddon woman, 79, are recovering at home after being diagnosed with legionnaires’ disease in January and March this year.
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On Friday, DHS was waiting for the blood test results of a Yarraville woman, 43, who is also believed to have the disease.
Dr John Carnie, Victoria’s deputy chief health officer, said DHS had tested 21 cooling tower systems in Maribyrnong, Tottenham, Seddon and Footscray after the cases became known.
Tested buildings included shopping centres and factories.
No source was identified but the investigated cooling towers were disinfected as a precaution.
Dr Carnie said it could take up to 10 days after initial contact with the bacteria for symptoms to appear.
“There is no reason for residents of these areas not to go about their normal business or activities,” he said.
“But we are asking anyone with influenza-type symptoms, including headache, fever, chills coughs, muscle aches and pains, to visit their local GP.”
He said the risk of legionnaires’ disease increased with age, particularly among smokers.
People with chronic medical conditions such as cancer, lung disease and diabetes, and transplant recipients, were at increased risk.
Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in fine droplets of water that contain the bacteria, such as spray drifts vented off cooling towers.
There have been seven cases of legionnaires’ disease this year, compared with 28 for the same time last year.
A spokeswoman for Western Health said DHS notified them of the legionnaires cases last Thursday.
She said the two diagnosed and one suspected case of legionnaires’ disease were not necessarily patients at either the Footscray or Sunshine hospitals.
“When you get legionnaires’ disease you don’t always come to hospital,” she said.
“You can get a mild form of it and be treated with antibiotics through your GP and go home.”
Maribyrnong council said DHS was the coordinating authority for any outbreaks of legionnaires’ disease.
They are also responsible for monitoring and enforcing standards in cooling towers.
