{"id":47959,"date":"2013-10-17T12:03:34","date_gmt":"2013-10-17T02:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=47959"},"modified":"2020-09-09T17:17:10","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T07:17:10","slug":"hospitals-to-get-regular-legionella-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2013\/10\/17\/hospitals-to-get-regular-legionella-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospitals To Get Regular Legionella Tests"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dr<\/a>
Queensland\u2019s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October 17, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

The legionella scare in Queensland hospitals earlier this year has led to the release of a number of recommendations to decrease the risk of future outbreaks occurring.<\/p>\n

The review<\/a><\/strong>, by\u00a0Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young, was tabled in State Parliament today.<\/p>\n

It recommended that all public and private hospitals, and all public residential aged care facilities, be required – and private residential aged care facilities be requested – to develop water quality risk management plans, including periodic testing of water supplies.<\/p>\n

The scare followed two cases of Legionnaires disease at The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the outbreak, \u00a0a massive logistical exercise was launched to sample, test and treat water supplies in all Queensland\u2019s public, private and day hospitals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese facilities reported more than 5000 test results and of these, 83 public and 76 private facilities were free of Legionella,\u201d Health Minister Mr Lawrence Springborg said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPositive samples were however returned at 106 facilities across the State.”<\/p>\n

Amongst the hospitals to return positive samples were Kingaroy, Wondai, Murgon and Cherbourg.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis bacterium has proven highly persistent in some areas, particularly at Charleville and Waroona, which have undergone nine separate rounds of testing and treatment to date,” Mr Springborg said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn top of the logistical issues posed by this task, there has also been a large financial impost on some Hospital and Health Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cCosts received to date from hospital and health services have ranged from $20,000 to around $100,000 depending on the scope of testing undertaken, the treatment required or the size of the health service.\u201d<\/p>\n