Infant with Legionnaires’ disease remains in critical condition at Makarios hospital

Nicosia, Cyprus. An infant diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease is still in critical condition in the neonatal intensive care unit of Makarios hospital, Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said on Saturday.

Condition of the baby

Charilaou stated that the infant’s health has not changed, and that the treating doctors continue to assess it as critical.

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Diagnosis and hospital suspension

The baby was diagnosed in mid-October at a private hospital in Nicosia. After the infection was reported, the health ministry ordered a temporary halt to the hospital’s operations. Later laboratory tests came back negative, and the hospital was permitted to reopen with the approval of the health ministry.

About the disease

Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial infection that chiefly targets the respiratory system and may lead to pneumonia. The bacterium grows in water and is passed on when people inhale droplets of contaminated water.

Potential sources include showers, taps, hot water systems and cooling towers in large buildings, especially those that are poorly maintained.

Symptoms

Symptoms generally appear within two to ten days of exposure. They include high fever, cough, severe fatigue and breathing difficulties. Some patients also suffer from diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain.