Macau recorded this year’s seventh case of Legionnaires’ disease yesterday, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement last night.
According to the statement, the patient is a 73-year-old local man inflicted with chronic diseases who normally lives in the mainland. He came down with a fever and dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing) on Saturday last week.
After returning to Macau from the mainland on Sunday, the statement said, the man immediately sought treatment at the emergency department of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and Legionnaires’ disease, and he also tested positive for the influenza A virus.
The statement said that the man has been put on a ventilator and transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Last night’s statement said that the patient was in a critical condition.
None of his family members living with him had come down with similar symptoms, the statement said.
The statement also said that the patient had not received a seasonal influenza jab.
The public hospital reported the case to the Health Bureau yesterday.
The statement noted that people can be infected with Legionnaires’ disease after inhaling mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria released by artificial water systems such as central air-conditioning systems’ cooling towers, jacuzzis, fountains, and household respiratory medical devices.
The statement underlined that people normally will not be infected with the disease after drinking water contaminated with the bacteria.
The statement noted that antibiotics are effective in treating Legionnaires’ disease provided that they are taken early after the onset of the illness.
This poster downloaded from the website of Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) yesterday lays out details on Legionnaires’ disease.
