The legionella nightmare has returned to Milanspecifically in a building of public residential construction located in via Rizzoli, on the north-east periphery of the city. In these hours there was the death of a 91 -year -old man, hospitalized at San Raffaele, while 4 other people – all elderly and considered fragile – are currently in hospital with serious symptoms attributable to the infection.
To confirm the situation is the ATS of Milan who writes in a note:
A legional outbreak is underway at the public residential building complex in via Rizzoli 77-87. The cases reported today are 6, of which 4 still hospitalized and a patient has died. Cases are between 70 and 90 years old.
The Health Authority, in collaboration with the Milanese Metro (MM), which manages the buildings, has started investigations to identify the exact origin of the contagion.
In the meantime, as a precaution The supply of hot water throughout the complex has been suspended and water analyzes started. MM, through a note, has made it known that he had made a new disinfection of the water system, despite the fact that periodic checks and cleaning are already provided and have been carried out regularly even in recent months.
What is legionella and what risks does it involve
There Legionella is a bacterium present in nature, but that it can become dangerous if it reaches high concentrations in water systems artificial. The most serious infection it can cause is the so -called “legionary disease”, a form of pneumonia that mainly affects elderly people, immunosuppressed or already fragile for other pathologies.
Symptoms can resemble those of traditional pneumonia: high fever, cough, breathing difficulties and muscle pain. Without timely treatment it can have even fatal consequences, as unfortunately happened in via Rizzoli.
Episodes like this highlight the importance of carrying out regular maintenance, rigorous checks and providing correct information to citizens, so that they know how to behave in case of risk.
How you can contract the legionella in the house
But how does legionella spread? This bacterium, which proliferates in humid environments, finds fertile ground within the condominium water networks, in particular in the tanks and pipes in which the water stagnates or does not circulate adequately. The temperatures between 25 and 45 degrees favor its growth, especially if the plants are not cleaned and sanitized periodically.
The contagion takes place through the inhalation of very small droplets of contaminated wateras can happen when you take a shower, you use a tap or a badly maintained air conditioning system.
Instead, you cannot infect yourself by drinking water or eating contaminated foods, nor the disease is transmitted from person to person. For this reason, prevention requires constant controls of pipes, boilers and tanks, especially in large residential buildings or condominiums with centralized systems.
