Several In Hospital After Contracting Respiratory Disease in Sydney’s CBD

Seven people have been hospitalised after contracting the respiratory illness, Legionnaires’ disease, while visiting Sydney’s CBD over the Christmas and New Year period.

NSW Health issued an alert on Wednesday, urging hundreds of thousands of people who visited the CBD over the past ten days to monitor for symptoms, which include fever, chills, coughing, shortness of breath and severe chest infections that could lead to pneumonia.

The three women and four men hospitalised had independently visited locations between Bathurst Street, Sussex Street, Elizabeth Street and Circular Quay before developing symptoms.

Though Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious through in-person contact, those suffering from suppressed immune systems or pre-existing lung conditions are most at risk.

NSW Health said in a statement that about 10 per cent of people who contract Legionnaires disease will die despite treatment.

"People who develop this disease are diagnosed by a urine or sputum test and chest X-ray, and usually require antibiotic treatment in hospital,” they said.

"Those most at risk are people with underlying lung or other serious health conditions and people who smoke."

Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University, who specialises in infectious diseases, said that symptoms of the disease were uncommon.

"Generally you'd have a fever of 38 or more and you'd feel unwell and you might have a lot of aches and pains," he told ABC Radio Sydney.

"But the other one is pneumonia and if you get pneumonia it means you've got a lung infection, you'll get short of breath, you may even get pain if you take a breath in, you'll have a fever and you'll look unwell."

Legionella bacteria – which causes the disease – infects the lungs when people breathe air containing contaminated water particles or dust, generally found in air conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, shower heads and soil or potting mix.

NSW Health and environmental health officers are working with the City of Sydney council to inspect cooling towers for possible contamination of the bacteria. They will be reviewing the maintenance history of cooling towers across the CBD to determine which towers need to be investigated further.

"Building owners should ensure that their cooling towers are operated and maintained in compliance with the NSW Public Health Regulation 2022," they said.

"Routine monthly testing of cooling towers allows the early identification of contaminated towers and allows for prompt additional cleaning and corrective actions."

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Adele is the Junior Writer & Producer for VICE AU/NZ. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter here.

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