Vic: Four in hospital after visiting aquarium

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2000
Vic: Four in hospital after visiting aquarium

Four elderly people are in hospital suffering from legionnaires' disease after visiting
Melbourne's new $33 million aquarium.

Two of the people, who are all aged between 65 and 88, are in a critical condition.

Victoria's Department of Human Services spokesman WILLIAM HART has urged recent visitors
to be alert for flu-like symptoms.

But he assures parents healthy children are not susceptible to the disease.

The four ill people visited the aquarium on April 13 and 15 during the school holidays
when long queues formed outside the venue.

Prof HART says it's possible infection occurred while queuing outside because the air
cooling towers were vented externally.

While a few more cases might emerge, Prof HART does not fear an outbreak of cases.

The disease causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, chills, muscle aches
and pains followed by respiratory problems and pneumonia over three or four days.

AAP RTV lmw/jd/gmw/jn

KEYWORD: LEGIONELLA (MELBOURNE)

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