Investigations are continuing into the source of the Legionella infection affecting a newborn in Cyprus, with Health Services awaiting the results of additional tests from a private maternity clinic in Nicosia and the family's home.
According to information reported by Politis, a specialist from abroad has arrived in Cyprus to assist with the management of the case.
The baby remains in a critical condition at Makarios Hospital, where the newborn is being treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Speaking to Politis, Health Services director Herodotos Herodotou said the first samples from the clinic had been collected on 7 October as part of routine inspections, before the infection was identified.
The results coincided with the discovery of the case, prompting further investigation.
Herodotou said additional samples were subsequently collected from both the clinic and the family home because the baby had already been discharged from hospital and returned home.
The results are expected on Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest, and should provide a clearer picture of the possible source of the bacterium.
Risk assessment and precautionary measures
Following the initial findings, authorities carried out a risk assessment and introduced precautionary measures, including the temporary suspension of the clinic's healthcare services.
Preliminary laboratory tests detected Legionella at two points in the clinic's water supply system. However, the presence of the bacterium alone does not establish the precise source of the newborn's infection.
The investigation is therefore continuing while authorities await the results of further testing.
Herodotou stressed the importance of prevention, saying facilities must implement appropriate controls and maintain their water supply systems properly.
These measures include conducting risk assessments, monitoring water quality and appointing a designated person responsible for overseeing Legionella prevention measures.
Other important precautions include checking pipes for leaks, cleaning filters regularly, maintaining appropriate chlorine levels and ensuring that water temperatures are correctly regulated.
Checks at hospitals, care homes and military facilities
Herodotou said the Health Services, in cooperation with the State General Laboratory, had developed a specific protocol for preventive Legionella testing at high-priority facilities.
The programme covers hospitals, care homes, hotels, military camps and military recruit training centres.
At recruit training centres, inspections are conducted before each intake of conscripts, while checks have already begun at other facilities.
Legionella bacteria thrive in water temperatures between 20C and 45C, Herodotou explained. Proper management of hot and cold water systems is therefore essential to prevent the bacteria from multiplying.
He also clarified that conventional split-unit air conditioners do not transmit Legionella because they do not use water to cool the air.
By contrast, water-based installations that generate tiny airborne droplets can pose a risk if they are not properly maintained. These include cooling towers used in central air-conditioning systems.
Foreign specialist arrives as newborn remains in intensive care
Meanwhile, a specialist from abroad has arrived in Cyprus to assist with the response to the serious Legionella case, according to information reported by Politis.
The newborn remains intubated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Makarios Hospital. The baby's condition has been described as stable but critical.
Authorities have also informed the parents of the other newborns who stayed at the private maternity clinic.
So far, no other suspected cases linked to the facility have been identified.
The investigation remains ongoing, with health authorities awaiting further laboratory results to establish the circumstances in which the baby was infected and determine whether the clinic's water system was the source.
