The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Saturday that it was notified by the Macao Union Hospital (CMM-PUMCH) that an 82-year-old male resident with a medical history of chronic illness has tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease*.
The statement did not mention how many cases of Legionnaires’ disease Macau have so far recorded this year.
Before the latest case was announced yesterday, the Health Bureau had previously announced nine cases of Legionnaires’ disease this year. This indicates that Macau has so far recorded 10 cases this year.
As of the issuance of the statement, the patient was in stable condition.
According to the statement, the patient developed a fever and cough on August 11 and sought medical treatment at the public Conde S. Januário Hospital Centre, where he tested positive for Influenza A and was prescribed Tamiflu.
Due to persistent symptoms, he visited the Macao Union Hospital on August 16 and was admitted for treatment, the statement said, adding that on Thursday, testing on a sputum sample returned positive for Legionella pneumophila, confirming a diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease. His family members have not reported any discomfort, the statement said.
The Health Bureau will dispatch officials to collect environmental samples from the patient’s home and surrounding areas to further investigate the source of infection and implement targeted corrective measures based on the findings, the statement added.
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.
*Legionella pneumophila is a type of bacteria that can cause a serious lung infection known as Legionnaires’ disease. People usually catch it by breathing in tiny water droplets (mist) from contaminated sources like hot tubs, air conditioning systems, or plumbing, not from person-to-person contact. – DeepSeek
Image courtesy of Hydrosense
