People who live in a Dartmouth apartment building have been told to turn off their air conditioners and stop taking showers.
It’s two safety precautions recommended by Public Health as they investigate an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease.
“It’s still bone-rattling, you don’t want to think that you’re going to get something,” exclaims building resident Christina Hunter.
Hunter found out Wednesday night about a possible outbreak of the disease in her apartment building.
“I am worried,” she said. “In fact, I’ve called Halifax Housing to see if I could put in a transfer to another building.”
Hunter lives at Alderney Manor. About 200 people live in the seniors social housing complex.
There is one confirmed case of legionnaires’ and three other possible cases among residents.
Late Thursday afternoon, the province’s health authority said there was a possible fourth related case.
It’s unknown if that person lives in the same building.
“There was a meeting that took place yesterday afternoon to let tenants know what was happening,” explains Stephan Richard of Housing Nova Scotia.
Residents were told to turn off their air conditioning units, stop taking showers, and while taking a bath, to close the door and leave the room while the tub fills up.
Legionnaires’ disease occurs after breathing in small droplets of water or mists contaminated with legionella bacteria.
Symptoms include dry cough, fever, chills, muscle aches and in severe cases, difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
“It can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to start to manifest,” explained Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed, Halifax Medical Officer of Health. “Then people have to be sick enough at the point to present to hospital, which can still take a number of hours, or days after that.”
While apartment tenants take caution, medical officials say the cause or location of the problem has yet to be confirmed.
As the investigation continues, officials say all cases of pneumonia, in the vicinity of the apartment building, are being looked at suspiciously.
“Our emergency departments at Cobequid, at Dartmouth and here in Halifax, have all been apprised of knowing if someone comes in from that particular building,” explained N.S. Health Minister Leo Glavine.
Officials say the disease not does spread person-to-person, and that all four residents lived in various areas of the seniors’ complex.
“Part of what we’ll uncover, is how long do people have the illness, and when did they first notice they had the illness,” said Dr. Watson-Creed.
Housing Nova Scotia will remain on site to answer questions from concerned residents, but some who live there say that’s not enough.
“I think this building should be scratched,” says resident Christina Hunter. “Sold to a developer, torn down, and find better accommodations for us elsewhere, where we can continue in good health.”
Dr. Watson-Creed says since legionnaires’ is a slow growing disease, it could be sometime next week before an update is provided from the lab regarding the other potential cases.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau
