Kiang Wu Hospital reported a case of Legionnaires’ disease, involving a 50-year-old non-local patient, to the Health Bureau (SSM) on Monday, an SSM statement said yesterday.
According to the statement, the patient is a tourist who started shivering, coughing, sneezing and having diarrhoea last Tuesday, then he went to the private Kiang Wu Hospital where he was diagnosed with legionnaires’ bacteria in his lungs. The statement said that the man was still hospitalised yesterday and that his condition was “normal”.
The statement noted that the man had been staying at Wynn Macau since September last year, adding that he visited Changsha, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Wuxi for business between April 8 and 14. The statement pointed out that he stayed in local hotels during his mainland trip.
This marked Macau’s second case of legionnaires’ disease of the year, according to the statement.
The statement said that legionnaires’ disease can be traced back to 1976 in America when an outbreak occurred among a group of retired soldiers (legionnaires). The statement noted that legionnaires’ bacteria can survive in nature and can reproduce quickly in warm moist areas, especially in water between 20-45 degrees Celsius. The statement said that the legionnaires’ bacteria can be found in lakes, hot springs, jacuzzis, water fountains and some medical equipment. The statement noted that the incubation period of the disease ranges from two to 10 days.
The statement pointed out that the disease will not be spread in food or water, adding that even though the water is contaminated with the bacteria, humans are unlikely to catch it by drinking the water. The statement stressed that anyone has a chance of catching the disease, including males, seniors, smokers, alcoholics, and people with weak immune system. The statement said that the symptoms include fever, cough, breathing difficulties, fatigue, headache, sore muscles, and diarrhoea.
The bureau urged residents to instigate the following suggestions to lower the possibility of contracting the disease: properly design, maintain and fix the water supply system in buildings; avoid drinking alcohol and smoking; install a water filter; and do not drink water straight from the tap.
This image shows how legionnaires’ disease affects the human body – Courtesy of SMS Environmental
