Spanish Legionnaire’s outbreak reported in Vallès Oriental region

Health officials are reporting a Spanish Legionnaire’s disease outbreak in the municipalities of Montmeló and Montornès del Vallès in the Vallès Oriental region. 

Up to now, 26 cases of the disease have been detected. People started to show symptoms in these cases between November 5 and 15. Symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease are similar to other types of pneumonia and can include shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches. 

Of the 26 cases currently reported, 10 did not require hospital admission, 2 cases required admission but have already been discharged and 14 cases are still hospitalized. The patients range in age between 37 and 92 years old and all of the exposures have occurred in the municipalities of Montmeló or Montornès del Vallès.

Officials have begun an environmental and epidemiological investigation in which they have collected the necessary clinical information to locate where the patients have been infected. There are risk facilities such as water cooling towers in both municipalities and these have been looked over by the inspectors and samples taken. 

As a precautionary measure,cleaning and shock disinfection treatment of all the circuits involved in the investigation from which the samples have been collected has been ordered. The investigators hope the pending analytical results will guide them to the source of the infectious Spanish Legionnaire’s outbreak.

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