Vic: Two more suspected legionnaires cases

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2000
Vic: Two more suspected legionnaires cases

Two more suspected cases of the potentially fatal legionnaires' disease has taken to
six the number of people infected while visiting Melbourne's new aquarium.

The Victorian Department of Human Services has so far confirmed four cases of the disease,
while two more people are now being tested.

A spokesman says the pair, who are both older people, are showing flu-like symptoms,
which are an early possible indicator of legionnaires' disease, and are in intensive care.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD, his wife JANETTE and Victorian opposition leader
DENIS NAPTHINE have become caught up in the scare.

The three reportedly attended a Liberal party function two weeks ago at the aquarium,
where infected cooling tanks have been blamed for the outbreak.

Two of the four confirmed legionnaires' cases, an 88-year-old man and 65-year-old woman
remain critically ill in two Melbourne hospitals.

It's believed they caught the disease while queuing outside the venue's air-cooling
towers external vents.

The Department of Human Services says tests on the aquarium's cooling towers haven't
ended but they had been disinfected and the aquarium's now safe.

AAP RTV lmw/gf/jlw/adh/bwl/amt/jn

KEYWORD: LEGIONELLA (MELBOURNE)

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