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5 clusters · 29 sources · 16 days · First seen · Last updated

Legionella outbreak in Linz and Leonding, Austria

Overview

Health authorities in Linz and Leonding, Upper Austria, are investigating a Legionella outbreak that has caused 32 confirmed illnesses and three deaths since July 20. As of late August, five individuals remain hospitalized, with one patient in intensive care.

Investigations have expanded beyond the initial findings at a Linz AG cooling tower, where Legionella pneumophila (subtype Allentown) was identified. Recent testing of a cooling system at a commercial facility in Leonding also returned a positive result for the bacteria. This system has since been shut down and disinfected. While a separate cooling system in an industrial area east of the A7 motorway also tested positive for Legionella, microbiological and epidemiological analyses indicate there is “no current link” between that facility and the ongoing outbreak.

To pinpoint the exact source, health officials, including the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), have collected approximately 200 water samples from various locations, including workplaces, households, and accommodation businesses. While genetic testing continues to determine if specific systems are the primary cause, authorities are working with affected companies to implement disinfection measures. The incident has prompted calls from TÜV Austria for a centralized register of cooling towers in Vienna, similar to German systems, to allow authorities to “rapidly identify and inspect potential sources during an outbreak.”

Entities

Linz · AGES · Upper Austria · Linz AG · Kepler Universitätsklinikum

Claims

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Coverage disagrees

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Timeline

  1. 15 days ago

    [HEALTH] 13 sources
    Linz Legionella outbreak causes 32 illnesses and 3 deaths

    A Legionella outbreak in Linz, Austria, has caused 32 illnesses and three deaths. Authorities have identified a positive cooling system in Linz-Leonding and are investigating potential infection sources.

  2. 17 days ago

    [HEALTH] 12 sources
    Linz Legionella outbreak causes 30 illnesses and 3 deaths

    A Legionella outbreak in Linz, Austria, has caused 30 illnesses and three deaths. Authorities are investigating cooling towers as a potential source, prompting calls for a centralized registry.

  3. 20 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Linz authorities use AI to trace Legionnaires' disease source

    Authorities in Linz are using artificial intelligence to help locate the source of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak that has caused 28 infections and three deaths.

  4. 23 days ago

    [HEALTH] 8 sources
    Linz legionellosis outbreak causes three deaths and 26 illnesses

    A legionellosis outbreak in Linz, Austria, has caused 26 illnesses and three deaths. Authorities have detected bacteria in Linz AG cooling towers and are using AI and satellite data to find the source.

  5. about 1 month ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Linz authorities identify potential Legionella source

    Authorities in Linz, Austria, have identified cooling towers at a local company as a potential source of a Legionella outbreak that has sickened 22 people.

Sources

bachmannpreis.orf.at · bezirksjournal.at · bienpublic.com · brandaktuell.at · DiePresse.com · finanznachrichten.de · gastroportal.at · kantonspolizei.ch · kleinezeitung.at · klick-kaernten.at · kurier.at · laumat.at · lejsl.com · leprogres.fr · lt1.at · m.noen.at · meinegemeinde.vol.at · nachrichten.at · noen.at · oesterreich.orf.at · porandalucialibre.es · profil.at · republicain-lorrain.fr · snmedia.at · suedtirolnews.it · thelocal.at · top-news.at · vosgesmatin.fr · wien.orf.at

This summary has been updated 6 times: see revision history