Minister says fear not, half of hospitals have Legionella
The Queensland Health Minister says nobody should be alarmed at revelations of Legionella bacteria at nearly half the state’s hospitals.
A recent audit undertaken by Queensland Health has found the bacteria in 105 of the 257 public and private facilities, including 60 positive test results from critical care facilities. The department said the incredibly thorough sweep checked every tap, shower and water system, with immediate action taken as soon as a positive result turned up.
Water temperatures have been adjusted, fittings replaced and liquid lines flushed to purge any trace of the infectious Legionella. Several parts of the Ipswich and Charleville hospitals remain cordoned-off while remedial action is taken.
Queensland Health Minister Laurence Springborg says: “What it has done is identified that in 105 of those facilities there has been Legionella present... we said at the start that that would be the case, because Legionella is a background organism in the environment... we shouldn't be surprised when we find it in the water system in our hospitals, because it is also in the water systems of many homes and businesses.”
The sweeping tests were ordered after an outbreak of the disease at Brisbane's Wesley Hospital three months ago took the life of a 66-year-old man a left a woman in her 40s gravely ill, and still hospitalised.
“We have actually gone through, we have been responsible, we have actually tested it,” Mr Springborg said, “not only that, there has been a process of where those systems have been cleaned as well.”
“I think it is probably fair to say we will have amongst the cleanest, if not the cleanest, hospital and health service water systems in all of the Australia.”