Latest news with #MiddlesexLondonHealthUnit
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
MLHU extends heat warning well into next week
The beach in Port Stanley, Ont. on Sunday, Sept 5, 2021. (Brent Lale/CTV London) The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is advising the community to prepare for another stretch of hot weather. A heat warning has been issued Friday, extending possibly to Thursday, July 17. Daytime temperatures are forecast to be high, with little relief overnight. Extended Heat Warnings are issued when one or more of the following criteria are met: Environment and Climate Change Canada issues a forecast calling for a daytime high of 31 degrees or higher and a forecast low of 20 degrees or higher for three consecutive days or longer, or Environment and Climate Change Canada issues a forecast calling for a Humidex of 40 or higher for three consecutive days or longer, or Environment and Climate Change Canada Forecasters anticipate that actual temperatures and humidex values in London and Middlesex County will reach the thresholds noted above. A list of cooling centres in the City of London can be found online.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘We don't know the source': MLHU investigating Legionnaires' outbreak
Middlesex London Health Unit declares an outbreak of Legionnaires' Disease with one fatality. CTV's Lauren Stallone has the details. The Middlesex-London Health Unit says it doesn't know the source of a Legionnaires' outbreak in the city. A spokesperson for the health unit told CTV News, 'Legionella transmits from water that has been aerosolized into the air. It can then be carried significant distance by the wind. Currently, our cases are spread out over a 6 kilometer radius. For a legionella outbreak, this is still considered to be clustered, even though it is a large area.' When it comes to public risk, the health unit said, 'The overall risk of Legionnaire's disease for the public is low. Most people who are exposed to legionella bacteria will not become infected or develop symptoms. Risk factors for Legionnaire's disease including being elderly, immunocompromised or having underlying lung conditions.' The health unit is also asking healthcare providers to consider legionellosis when investigating lower respiratory tract symptoms. 'So far this year in 2025 we have had 43 cases of Legionella confirmed and unfortunately we have had one person die,' said Joanne Kearon, a medical officer of health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. How does it present? High fever Chills Dry cough Shortness of breath Some people may also suffer from muscle aches and headaches, and the symptoms usually begin two to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
London, Ont., health officials tracking down source of legionnaires' outbreak
Amid a legionnaires' outbreak in London, Dr. Joanne Kearon, associate medical officer of health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit, explains how testing for the disease works and what the health unit samples when testing cooling systems.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- 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. Health unit officials were not able to determine the exact source of the outbreak last year. The 2024 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. How outbreaks start Legionella bacteria can usually be found in faucets or HVAC units, but ultimately there needs to be an epidemiologic investigation to find the common source, according to Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital. He noted there can be sporadic cases from the soil, but most outbreaks are associated with contaminated water systems and buildings. The disease is not transmitted through human contact. "It's not in the air — it's in water — but you can usually pinpoint it to a common source," he said. "So for example, like an HVAC system in a particular building, you look for where all those people who are infected had a common source of contact." Health officials are able to detect the disease more easily as diagnostics have improved in recent years and more people are aware of it, but Bogoch said that doesn't necessarily mean legionnaires; disease is on the rise. Anyone who develops symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath is 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.
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
1 dead, over 40 sick as legionnaires' outbreak spreads in southeast London, Ont.
Social Sharing One person is dead and more than 40 people sick after 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. In a statement 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. "Environmental sampling of potential sources of legionella is ongoing. Since legionella can be found in many types of cooling systems, the investigation may take time." 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. 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.
