Legionnaires Cases
Eleven infants born between December 18 and 22 at a private hospital in Cyprus contracted Legionnaires’ disease.
The babies were discharged from the private hospital in good condition but then admitted to the intensive care unit of another hospital between December 25 and 29 because of Legionnaires’ symptoms.
Three of the children have died.
As of January 20th 2009, one of the babies was still in the hospital, not yet able to breath on its own. The other seven have been treated and released.
Reports indicate that portable ultrasonic humidifiers were the source.
The maternity ward and nursery were closed on December 29th 2009, immediately following laboratory confirmation of the first cases.
Sources: news media and Eurosurveillance
