Disease Outbreak News -- Legionellosis - Poland

No images? Click here Thursday, 14 September 2023 Disease Outbreak News Legionellosis - Poland 14 September 2023 Situation at a glance As of 11 September 2023, a total of 166 cases of legionellosis, including 23 deaths, have been reported from Poland. Legionellosis, more commonly known as Legionnaires' disease, is a pneumonia-like illness, caused by a bacterium, that varies in severity from mild to a severe illness and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia. This observed increase in confirmed cases, and associated hospitalizations and deaths seen since mid-August, is unusual, considering that the number of cases is higher than the annual number reported in Poland since 2016. Polish health authorities are coordinating cluster investigation activities, active case finding to identify additional cases, and public health activities to prevent transmission and limit the emergence of new cases, through preventive control measures. Since 7 September, no new cases have been reported, although the infection source has not yet been identified. Investigations are still ongoing to find the source of the outbreak.   Most people develop Legionnaires' disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. To date there has been no reported direct human-to-human transmission. Read more here. Media contacts: mediainquiries@who.int     You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. If you have been forwarded this update you can click here to subscribe. Journalists may send feedback to WHO Media Team         Share    Tweet    Share    Forward  World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1202 Geneva 27, Switzerland  Unsubscribe