A 65-year-old local man was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease on Tuesday, marking the fourth such case this year, Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement last night.
According to the statement, the retiree, who suffered from a chronic disease, had symptoms such as fever and a cough last Thursday and went to the public Conde de São Januario Hospital Centre for outpatient treatment.
The statement said that the man went to the hospital again on Tuesday as the symptoms persisted, and tests finally confirmed he had Legionnaire’s disease. The man has been hospitalised for specialist treatment.
According to the statement, the patient went to the mainland frequently during the incubation period to visit his relatives, and had been sightseeing and staying at hotels around the mainland.
The statement said that none of his family and friends who were with him on the trips has similar symptoms.
Legionnaires’ disease, also known as legionellosis, is a form of atypical pneumonia caused by any type of Legionella bacteria. Signs and symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle pains, and headaches. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea may also occur. This often begins two to 10 days after exposure, according to Wikipedia.
