A recent small outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Maritimes has the Nova Scotia Health Authority asking local health care workers to be on the lookout for the illness.
The health authority said in a statement Wednesday that Public Health met with three residents of a multi-unit apartment building in Dartmouth after a confirmed case of the disease.
It’s been confirmed only one of the four individuals in Dartmouth have the disease, but they’re all currently being treated in hospital.
“Most people have little or no risk of catching the disease, which is not contagious and can’t be spread from person to person,” said Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, N.S. Medical Officer of Health. “The source of this small cluster appears to be localized and it’s unlikely that the broader public is at risk.”
The health authority says Public Health is working on identifying the source of the bacteria.
The cause or location of the problem has not been confirmed.
Medical professionals are also being asked to be on the lookout for symptoms of the disease in southeastern New Brunswick, following four confirmed cases since the middle of June.
The New Brunswick cases have all been men and all have made a full recovery.
Dr. Yves Leger, the N.B. Regional Medical Officer of Health, says four cases in such a short period of time is unusual.
“We’ve looked at their travel patterns and there's nothing that indicates that there is a common source for these individuals,” he said.
Legionnaires’ disease occurs after breathing in small droplets of water or mists contaminated with legionella bacteria.
Symptoms like fever, coughing and shortness of breath usually show up about a week after exposure.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis and Suzette Belliveau.
