Legionella outbreak in Linz linked to cooling tower

Authorities have identified a direct link between a cooling tower owned by Linz Strom Gas Wärme GmbH and at least one case of Legionella infection in the Linz area. Laboratory tests confirmed that the Legionella isolate found in the cooling tower on Wienerstraße matches an isolate from an infected patient.

To date, the outbreak in the Linz region has resulted in 32 documented illnesses and three deaths. While the connection to the specific cooling tower has been established for one case, a direct link has not yet been proven for all other patients. Linz AG reported that the affected system has been cleaned, disinfected, and switched to dry operation to prevent further bacterial growth.

In a separate development, a resident of a care facility in the Amstetten district has also tested positive for Legionella and is receiving hospital treatment. Authorities and AGES are investigating water samples in the facility to determine if it is a new source of infection, though officials noted the risk to other residents remains low due to independent water circuits in each unit.