Newsroom / CNA
The health of an infant diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease remains critical, with doctors continuing to provide intensive treatment at Makarios Hospital in Nicosia.
Charalambos Charilaou, spokesperson for the Cyprus State Health Services Organisation (OKYPY), told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Saturday that there had been no change in the baby’s condition.
The infant remains in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where mechanical support is being provided alongside the prescribed medical treatment. The latest assessment by the medical team indicates that the baby is still in a critical condition.
The case comes after Legionella bacteria were detected at a private clinic in Nicosia, prompting the temporary suspension of its operations. However, subsequent laboratory tests at the facility returned negative results, allowing it to reopen following authorisation from the Ministry of Health.
How Legionnaires’ disease spreads
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially life-threatening form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The illness takes its name from an outbreak in 1976, when members of the American Legion fell ill during a gathering in Philadelphia.
The bacteria can multiply in natural and man-made water systems, particularly at temperatures ranging from 20°C to 45°C.
Common environments where Legionella may develop include water storage tanks, plumbing networks, taps, showers, cooling towers and hot and cold water installations. Stagnant water can create favourable conditions for bacterial growth.
People generally become infected by inhaling tiny airborne droplets of contaminated water, known as aerosols. The disease is not considered transmissible between people, according to scientific evidence.
