Legionella alert: New Hampshire’s famous resort in the crosshairs
Five cases of legionellosis at the RiverWalk Resort, a tourist complex located in Lincoln
New Hampshire health authorities have issued an alert after linking five cases of legionellosis to a cooling tower at RiverWalk Resort, a well-known tourist complex located in Lincoln. This outbreak raised public health concerns and highlighted the importance of preventing and controlling water-related infections.
Legionella: an insidious bacterium
Legionella is a bacterium found in natural and artificial aquatic environments. It can proliferate in water systems such as showers, hot tubs and cooling towers, and spread through tiny droplets of water that are inhaled. When the bacterium enters the lungs, it can cause a severe form of pneumonia, known as legionnaires’ disease.
The most common symptoms include high fever, cough, muscle pain, headache and difficulty breathing. Although most healthy people can overcome the infection, some categories of individuals, such as the elderly, smokers and those with compromised immune systems, are at greater risk of developing serious complications.
The outbreak at RiverWalk Resort
Investigations by the health authorities have revealed that the five cases of legionella infection were due to contamination of the resort’s cooling tower. People who had been infected had visited the area in previous weeks, inhaling contaminated water droplets.
The measures taken
The health authorities and managers of RiverWalk Resort immediately initiated procedures to contain the outbreak. The cooling tower has been insulated and measures have been taken to decontaminate the plant. However, due to the persistent nature of the Legionella bacteria, a period of time was necessary to ensure that the risk was completely eliminated.
Preventing Legionella
The outbreak of Legionella at RiverWalk Resort is a sad reminder that this bacterium poses a threat to public health. Regular preventive measures are essential to prevent their spread, such as:
- Regular maintenance of water systems: Inspections and periodic cleaning of water systems, in particular cooling towers
- Water disinfection: Use of chemicals to disinfect the water and prevent bacteria from spreading
- Adequate water temperature: Maintaining a sufficiently high water temperature to inhibit the growth of Legionella.