Latest news with #Kearon
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Legionnaires' disease is spreading in London, Ont. What to know about the illness after 1 person dies, dozens gets sick from an outbreak
Legionnaires' disease has caused one person to die and more than 40 to get sick in London, Ont., according to public health officials. Most of the cases were reported over the last week, the Middlesex-London Health Unit noted, which declared the outbreak on Tuesday. The health unit said it's working closely with Public Health Ontario and Public Health Ontario Laboratories to investigate and find the source of the outbreak. It added most of the cases are from people living or working within a six-kilometre radius of one another in the southeastern end of the city. Dr. Joanne Kearon, the health unit's associate medical officer of health, told the CBC she understands many people are anxious to know where the disease is coming from, but that "unfortunately, we don't have a location yet." There have been a total of 43 cases reported to the health unit so far for 2025, with a few cases per month being a normal occurrence. But officials declared an outbreak when there were more than 30 cases reported last week. According to Kearon, a spike is understandable amid the warm weather the city has recently seen. The City of London experienced a legionnaires' disease outbreak last summer, where two people died and 30 infections were reported. Back then, most of the cases were found in the city's east end. "At this time, it is not known whether [the current outbreak] is the same location as the legionnella outbreak from last year," the health unit said. "However, this is being considered as part of the ongoing investigation." This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Legionnaires' disease is a serious respiratory illness that can result in pneumonia. It's one of two illnesses caused by the Legionella bacteria, which can also cause Pontiac fever, a milder condition that's similar to the flu and typically goes away on its own. Untreated legionnaires' disease, on the other hand, can be fatal. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, leggionaires' disease is named after a 1976 pneumonia outbreak in Philadelphia, where 29 people died at an American Legion Convention late that summer. Symptoms of legionnaires' disease typically appear around two to 10 days after contact with the bacteria, according to Mayo Clinic. Some of the initial signs include headache, muscle aches and a fever higher than 104⁰F/40⁰C. Over the span of a few days, symptoms can include: Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood Shortness of breath Chest Pain Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea Confusion and other mental changes Most cases of legionnaires' disease are caused the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which lives in soil and water. Legionella can be found naturally in lakes and streams, but it can also contaminate drinking water and water systems — like air conditioners — in large buildings. While it's possible for cases to occur at home, it's more likely for outbreaks to originate in larger buildings. That's probably because the bacteria can grow and spread more easily in large systems, according to Mayo Clinic. Moreover, air conditioning systems in homes and vehicles typically don't use water to work. Typically, someone will inhale mist or water that's contaminated with Legionella bacteria. This might be from the spray off a shower or hot tub, or it could be from water from the cooling system in large buildings. You might see outbreaks from hospitals, hotels, cruise ships, long-term care homes or other locations that have the following: Hot tubs Shower heads Faucets Humidifiers Decorative water features like fountains Heating and cooling systems Soil Generally, legionnaires' disease isn't contagious. That means it can't be spread from person to person. While cases that begin at home are rare, you can prevent infections by ensuring all of your shower heads, faucets, hot tubs and humidifiers are properly cleaned. In larger buildings, owners and property managers should upkeep their water systems. Amid the outbreak in Ontario, the Middlesex-London Health Unit has asked all business owners and property managers to make sure their cooling equipment is regularly maintained and sanitized according to manufacturer guidelines. "This is the best way to reduce the risk of further legionella outbreaks," the health unit added. If you're healthy, you most likely won't get sick if you come into contact with Legionella bacteria. The following people are more likely to become ill: Current or former smokers People with weakened immune systems Those with chronic lung disease or other conditions like diabetes, kidney disease or cancer Anyone age 50 or older Diagnosing and treating legionnaires' disease can shorten the time it takes to recover and prevent serious ailments. People at high risk need treatment right away. Legionnaires' disease is treated with antibiotics, which you'll likely get either through an IV or by pill form. You'll probably also need to remain hospitalized whilst being treated. In some cases, you may get treatment for oxygen if you're having difficulty breathing. After leaving the hospital, you may still need to take medication to ensure the infection goes away completely. Ongoing symptoms may include fatigue, muscle aches, slurred speech and trouble walking. Luckily, most people survive legionnaires' disease. According to Cleveland Clinic, lung infections due to Legionella are only fatal around five to 10 per cent of the time. If left untreated, however, fatality rates rise to 30 to 80 per cent.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
1 dead, over 40 sick as legionnaires' outbreak spreads in southeast London, Ont.
One person is dead and more than 40 people have become ill in an outbreak of legionnaires' disease in London, Ont. The Middlesex-London Health Unit, which declared the outbreak, said the cases were reported within the last week. Most of the people with the severe respiratory illness live and/or work within a six-kilometre radius of one another, in the southeast side of the city, officials said. On Tuesday, officials said the health unit is working closely with Public Health Ontario and the Public Health Ontario Laboratories to investigate and try to determine the source of the outbreak, adding the investigation may take time as they need to do environmental samples of many types of cooling systems. "I know that is what most people are anxious to understand, is where it is coming from, and so are we. Unfortunately, we don't yet have a location," said Dr. Joanne Kearon, the health unit's associate medical officer of health. "Our teams go out to actually collect water samples and swabs from cooling systems and then send that to the lab to compare it to clinical samples from people who have become ill to see if we are able to find the source." The health unit has received 43 reports of Legionella this year, with a few cases reported each month, which Kearon said is expected. However, cases rose to more than 30 last week, prompting officials to declare the outbreak, she added. "Given the weather we've been having, it's understandable that it has spiked," she said. We compare it to what we would expect every season, and this exceeded significantly what we have seen previously." This is the second outbreak of legionnaires' disease in London since last summer. Last year's outbreak was localized in the city's east end and led to two deaths and 30 total reported infections. "At this time, it is not known whether it [the current outbreak] is the same location as the legionnella outbreak from last year," the health unit said. "However, this is being considered as part of the ongoing investigation." Bacteria found in water sources Legionnaires' disease is caused by legionella bacteria, naturally found in water sources such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems or parts of air-conditioning systems. Legionella is not transmitted from person to person. If the bacteria are aerosolized or misted into the air (via wind or fans), people may inhale the bacteria and become unwell. Most people exposed to legionella don't get ill, but some may experience Pontiac fever, a mild, flu-like illness that commonly resolves itself. Individuals who are older, have lung problems or are immunocompromised (have a weak immune system) are at greater risk of serious infection. While she didn't have specific information about the individuals who contracted the illness, Kearon said there's a wide age range of people who've been affected, and those over 50 are at a higher risk. Last year's outbreak came to a natural end by late August as most cooling systems turn off around that time. The health unit predicts that will be the case this year as well Anyone who develops symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath are encouraged to seek medical attention. All business owners and property managers should ensure all cooling equipment is regularly maintained and sanitized as per the manufacturer's instructions. Although masks can decrease the risk of infection, the health unit is not recommending regular community-wide use of them specifically for the prevention of legionnaire's disease, as the public risk is low.
Irish Times
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Drivers push to swap US licences for Irish ones amid test backlog
Proposals that would allow people to swap their US or Canadian driver's licences for Irish licences without sitting a driving test have been hailed as 'pragmatic' by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy. A group of people who live in Ireland and hold North American licences have put forward a number of alternatives to sitting the driving test, due to extensive waiting lists . Waiting times for driving tests have risen significantly, with some people waiting up to 10 months . The group's alternatives to sitting the test include requiring these drivers to sit the theory test, requiring them to take 12 driving lessons (up from the current six), and ensuring they have maintained a clean driving record for at least three years. READ MORE Gene Kearon, a dual American-Irish citizen, is leading the group's efforts. The 60-year-old was born in the US to Irish parents and spent part of his childhood in Wicklow. He relocated to Gorey last October. The group has contacted a number of TDs with their proposals. In an email reply sent to Mr Kearon on April 14th, Ms Murphy described the suggestions as 'pragmatic' and said they aligned with the need to maintain road safety while 'reducing pressure' on the Road Safety Authority (RSA). People who move to Ireland and hold a driving licence from countries including the US can drive on Irish roads for up to a year. After this 12-month period, people from certain countries (and certain regions in Canada) can exchange their licence for an Irish one. However, the US is not one of the countries so recognised. Mr Kearon said he and others 'don't want to compromise Irish road safety', but that the current model does not make sense. 'You're telling me, I arrive on day one and I can drive unfettered throughout the country - why does that change on [day] 366? Wouldn't it be smarter to say, 'Okay, you can drive, but in order for us to give you that licence on day 366, you have to take the 12 lessons that everybody else takes'?' Mr Kearon has started the process of applying for an Irish driver's licence but has been told it could be September before he can sit his test. [ Learner drivers face having to start again if they have more than four permits without passing a test Opens in new window ] His one-year grace period ends in October. If there is any delay, he could be without a licence, and unable to drive - something which could affect his job. Mr Kearon knows several people in a similar situation and said 'they're all desperate for a solution'. He said he has been driving for four decades, without a road traffic incident, and believes he is 'unnecessarily taking a spot away from somebody else who's never driven before'. There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to examine 'reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada'. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said Ireland has a licence exchange agreement with Australia and seven of the 10 Canadian provinces, but that reaching an agreement with the US is more complicated. 'US driver licensing operates at state, not federal, level. This means that there are 50 licensing systems, with widely varying testing standards and road safety performance.' A spokesperson for the RSA added that 'agreement with any one state [in the US] would mean taking into account the licence-exchange arrangements between that state and the other 49″. As such, a blanket agreement 'would not be feasible'.
CBC
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Costco, Masonville mall, Walmart: Health unit releases latest list of measles exposures
Cases of measles in the London region have jumped to 16 this year, health officials warned Wednesday after releasing a list of busy places visited by people infected with the highly contagious virus. As always, public health doctors were tight-lipped about the individual cases, citing privacy concerns, but said most of the cases are related to a larger, unvaccinated cluster linked to a broader outbreak in southwestern Ontario, according to Dr. Joanne Kearon, the associate medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit. All but one of the 16 people were not vaccinated against the disease, she added, and the majority of cases are in kids between the ages of five and nine. The youngest person to get measles is six months old, and the oldest is 35 years old, Kearon said. The more significant outbreak has been linked to a large gathering of Mennonites in New Brunswick in the fall, the province's chief medical officer of health has said. "Cases could spread in any unvaccinated community or population but are disproportionately affecting some Mennonite, Amish, and other Anabaptist communities due to a combination of under-immunization and exposure to measles in certain areas," Dr. Kieran Moore wrote to public health officials across the province earlier this month. Elgin, Oxford, and Norfolk counties have large populations of Mennonite and Amish communities. The outbreaks have forced the London Health Sciences Centre to tighten its visitor rules, and Southwestern Public Health officials are offering vaccines to infants that normally wouldn't be eligible. Here in Middlsex-London, the cases that aren't linked to the broader outbreak are related to international travel, or the origin isn't known, Kearon said. The measles virus can live in the air for up to two hours once an infected person leaves an area and can infect nine out of 10 unvaccinated people. People are asked to monitor themselves for symptoms of the illness for up to 21 days from the date of exposure. The health unit released the following list of places visited by infected people in the previous week: March 20 - Costco on Wonderland Road North, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 20 - Walmart on Fanshawe Park Road West from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. March 22 - Masonville Place from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 22 - St. Michael's Parish from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 23 - St. Joseph's Urgent Care from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 23 - Victoria Hospital adult ER from 1:20 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. "We are intending to use that exposure list as a way to communicate to the public all of the potential places that the public may have been exposed to measles," Kearon said. "The most important thing that people can do to protect themselves is to get vaccinated." The Middlsex-London region has a 95 per cent vaccination rate for those over 17 years old, so the overall risk is low, she added. "Measles vaccine with one dose is 90 per cent effective and with two doses it's 97 per cent effective," Kearon said. The health unit previously released the following list of places where people may have been exposed to measles: March 14 - Tiger Jacks on Wharncliffe Road South from 3:20 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. March 14 to March 15 - Jack's on Richmond Street from 9:30 p.m. to 4:10 a.m. March 15 - Burrito Boyz on Central Ave from 2:15 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. March 15 - St. Michael's Parish from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 16 - Binge Bins on Wonderland Road South from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 16 - Argle Mall Walmart from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. March 16 Carter's Osh Kosh at 1925 Dundas St. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
CBC
31-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
Middlesex-London Health Unit reports multiple measles exposures at 2 local hospitals
As the number of measles cases continues to climb across the province, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit reported on Friday that there have been multiple exposures to confirmed cases recently at two local hospitals. The exposures occurred in the emergency departments of Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital on Jan. 19 and 23, and the pediatric emergency department of London's Children's Hospital on Jan. 24, 25, and 28, the health unit said Friday. Specifically, the health unit says the exposures occurred on: Jan. 19 between 9:10 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER; Jan. 23 between 3:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER; Jan. 24/25 between 8:30 p.m. and midnight in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER; Jan. 24/25 between 8:45 p.m. and 3 a.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER; Jan. 28 between 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER; and Jan. 28 between 11:20 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER. In a statement, Dr. Joanne Kearon, the region's associate medical officer of health, said parents and guardians should seek medical care if they or their child is sick with suspected measles. "We ask, however, that you phone ahead so that staff can put precautionary measures in place to prevent the spread within the health care setting," Kearon said. The best way to protect oneself from measles is to get vaccinated, health officials say. Two doses of the measles vaccine are recommended for anyone born in or after 1970. In Canada, the vaccine is only available in the form of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. Measles is highly contagious and causes symptoms including fever, a red blotchy rash, red, watery eyes, and cough, provincial health officials say. On Thursday, Chatham-Kent health officials warned of possible measles exposures this week at the city's emergency department. Public Health Ontario has reported an uptick in measles cases in recent weeks, most involving children. As of Jan. 29, the province said it had seen 26 confirmed and 27 probable cases since October involving 41 children and 12 adults. Of the 53 confirmed and possible cases, reported by Grand Erie Public Health, Grey Bruce Health, and Southwestern Public Health, only six involved patients who were vaccinated against measles, the province says. On Wednesday, Grand Erie and Southwestern health units declared measles outbreaks connected to at least 19 patients in their communities, mostly children, who had fallen ill in recent weeks. In comparison, the province as a whole saw an average of seven measles cases per year between 2013 and 2019. No cases were reported in 2020 or 2021, one case was reported in 2022 and seven in 2023.
