DISEASE OUTBREAK NEWS: WHO Announces Outbreak Severe Pneumonia
Daily Rendezvous 5 September 2022 Outbreak at a glance As of 3 September 2022, a cluster of 11 cases of severe pneumonia, including four deaths, have been reported in San Miguel de Tucumán city, Tucuman Province, Argentina. Legionella spp. was isolated in the samples from four cases. Legionellosis is a pneumonia-like illness that varies in severity from mild febrile illness to a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia. Cases were initially reported as being pneumonia of unknown cause. Legionella bacteria was identified as the causative organism on 3 September. All cases presented with bilateral pneumonia, fever, myalgia, abdominal pain, and dyspnea between 18 and 25 August 2022 and are epidemiologically linked to one health facility. Of the 11 cases, eight are health workers of the facility; three are patients of the health facility. Three of the four deaths were among health workers. Health authorities are coordinating cluster investigation activiti...