Travel alert on Bali after Legionnaires outbreak

By Nathan Mawby From:Herald Sun June 10, 201111:40PM

AUSTRALIANS are being warned about travelling in Bali after a number of recent cases of Legionnaires disease.
The new alert comes after a number of Australian’s were diagnosed with the disease after travelling to Bali before August last year.
The SmartTraveller website has tonight issued the alert and warned: Australian health authorities have detected a small number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease (Legionella pneumophila) amongst travellers recently returned from the Kuta region of Bali.
The Indonesian Environmental Health Department is investigating, but Australians in Bali and those who have recently returned are advised to monitor themselves for flu-like symptoms including fever and coughs.
If they do suffer these symptoms they are advised to visit their doctor or a hospital emergency department and advise them of travelling to Bali.
The potentially lethal form of pneumonia is brought on be the Legionella bacteria and is often linked to air-conditioning systems.
It is usually transferred in water droplets in the air coming from air-conditioners, spas and misting sprays.
In January this year Victoria’s Chief Health Officer released an alert after four Victorian’s were diagnosed.