Legionella already leaves four deceased in Cáceres and 15 positive

Legionella cases in Cáceres

, of which 4 remain hospitalized for other pathologies, according to the latest update made this Tuesday by the Extremadura Health Service.

Although

since the first week of August , in recent days two other deceased people have been confirmed, joining the first two who lost their lives to this disease: a 54-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man. , both with

.

Of the two new deceased communicated today, the Junta de Extremadura has not disclosed their data.

Specifically, it was on August 8 when the Junta de Extremadura officially communicated the appearance of the disease, which was detected

.

The last two are pending analytical confirmation.

Despite these data and the two new deaths in recent days, the Junta de Extremadura insists that there is

to health in the city of Cáceres.

The analyzes carried out on the water distribution networks and cooling towers in the city of Cáceres have been negative so far.

The City Council has

, located in the areas of El Rodeo, San Francisco and Colón.

In addition, sprinkler irrigation has been cut at the Rodeo.

In any case, the Extremeño Health Service stresses that the cases detected in Cáceres do not imply the appearance of a legionella outbreak "since there is no epidemiological link between the cases" and that "the only point of union, very weak, that has been found is that most of the cases

".

The Minister of Health, José María Vergeles, has highlighted that the SES is monitoring the growth of bacteria: "We already have the growth of one of the hospital rooms, in a tap, which tells us that, although it has grown legionella,

, therefore there is nothing to worry about, and in the other samples, out of a total of seven of the 15, nothing has grown in the days that it has been planted, so it is quite unlikely that out".

patient advocate

The Patient Ombudsman has requested the Superior Prosecutor of Extremadura, Francisco Javier Montero Juanes, to open an

of legionella infections in the city of Cáceres.

"It is not acceptable that the water from public sources may be contaminated, nor is the lack of review and control acceptable if this has happened," the Patient Ombudsman said in a statement.

"We expect your attention and purification of responsibilities" of who or who must monitor public water, says the Patient Ombudsman, who recalls that "there is at least one deceased," according to the letter sent to the prosecutor.

Likewise, it asks you to "become aware of the matter" and admit your request, which is based on the fact that article 262 of the Criminal Procedure Law obliges those who, due to their position, profession or trade, have news of a

. to the Judge or the Prosecutor.

In this case we understand that "it is put at risk by the actions of the administration".

The illness

According to the Junta de Extremadura, legionella is a bacterium that can be found naturally in lakes, rivers, ponds... and that does not imply any danger to the health of the population.

There are several species of legionella and only one of them, pneumophila legionella serogroup 1, is

.

Sometimes it can grow and multiply in the water distribution network and large cooling systems (cooling towers).

Its multiplication is

and temperatures between 30-45 degrees.

The only possible way to contract the disease is by air, by inhaling small droplets of water that allow the bacteria to reach the lungs, sometimes producing a short-term febrile syndrome or pneumonia.

Legionella infection can

mild prognosis and short duration or as pneumonia with high fever.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

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• Caceres

• Legionella