Data from local authorities show that seven people have died and 113 hospitalized in Polish Rzeszów, which is about 100 km from the border with Ukraine, due to legionellosis (Legionnaires’ disease), Bloomberg reports.
Authorities in Rzeszów are conducting tests to find out the source of the outbreak, with results expected on Monday, regional government head Ewa Leniart told Poland’s RMF radio.
She said the contamination is believed to be caused by water in the water supply system and the situation is under control.
At the same time, it is pointed out that Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) is checking whether the outbreak of legionellosis in Rzeszów could have been a sabotage, given the city’s role as a transit center for supplies to Ukraine. Such actions are aimed at ruling out any external influences that could lead to the spread of the disease, Poland’s deputy minister-coordinator of special services Stanislaw Jarin said on Twitter.
Legionellosis (Legionnaires’ disease) is an acute infectious disease caused by various types of microorganisms, which affects lung tissues and is characterized by the development of a severe form of pneumonia. According to the OIE, the most common form of transmission is inhalation of infected water splashes.
