Date issued: 18 August 2021
Issued by: Dr Mihaela Ivan, Acting Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease)
Issued to: Health professionals and members of the Cranbourne East area community.
Key messages
The department is investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Cranbourne East area. Two cases have been notified as of 18 August 2020 and both are residents of the Cranbourne East area.
People who have been in the Cranbourne East area from the start of August and develop flu-like illness should seek immediate medical attention.
Healthcare professionals should be alert for Legionnaires’ disease in patients with influenza-like symptoms, particularly those with severe pneumonia who have been around the Cranbourne East area since the start of August.
Consider alternative diagnoses to COVID-19 for respiratory infections and undertake appropriate investigations.
If you suspect Legionnaires’ disease, request urinary antigen testing through your normal pathology provider. As a priority, order Legionella culture on sputum, and undertake serology on blood at symptom onset and 4-8 weeks later (as paired sera).
Legionnaires’ disease is an urgent notifiable condition which requires notification upon initial diagnosis or clinical suspicion (presumptive or confirmed) as soon as practicable and within 24 hours on 1300 651 160.
Read the full Alert: Legionnaires’ disease linked with Cranbourne East area
