Surge in Legionnaires’ Disease Cases Highlights Urban Water Safety Risks

Key facts

• Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila.
• Individuals contract the disease by inhaling contaminated water droplets from sources such as cooling towers, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, fountains, and plumbing networks.
• The disease is not contagious and does not spread from person to person.
• Symptoms typically appear within 2 to 14 days and include high fever, cough, breathlessness, muscle pain, and confusion.
• The disease has a mortality rate of approximately 5–10 per cent, particularly affecting elderly individuals, smokers, and those with weakened immunity.
• Legionella bacteria thrive in warm, stagnant water, making summer months and rising global temperatures critical risk periods.
• India has reported sporadic cases of the disease, with hospitals, hotels, and large residential complexes identified as being particularly at risk.