News » New Year Legionnaires’ Hotel outbreaks in the USA and Spain
New Year Legionnaires’ Disease Hotel outbreaks in the USA and Spain
The Best Western Sovereign Hotel, Albany USA has tested positive for Legionella bacteria, and the Albany County Health Department have advised that six people have confirmed cases of the disease. Water samples at the hotel have tested positive and the hotel is now working to eliminate the bacteria.
Health officials in Nevada have also reported that Legionella bacteria were found in water samples in the Luxor Hotel-Casino. One man recently died after staying there, and two other guests were sickened by the disease in the spring of last year.
Closer to home, there have been 18 confirmed cases from a four star hotel in Costa Blanca, Spain involving 12 UK residents (including three deaths), two french and four Spaniards. Three of the four Spanish cases were hotel workers.
The Spanish Hotel has been temporarily closed. Saga are reported to have sent their own UK expert to the resort, who has recommended changes to the plumbing within the hotel, but has been unable to find the source of the outbreak.
Caitriona McEldowney, senior Legionella consultant with HBI commented "During the quieter times, hotels forget that water is sitting in pipes, faucets and showerheads between visitors. These are ideal conditions for Legionella bacteria to propogate and to deliver a nasty surprise to the next visitor to stay in the room. Just raising water temperatures is not sufficient to prevent an outbreak when there is stagnant water. Hotel owners muct understand that a systematic flushing and monitoring programme is essential to ensure that they’re not putting their visitors at risk."
