Man dies of Legionnaires’ disease after visiting spa in the Netherlands

Around 300 people now thought to be at risk of infection after using the facility

Dutchman died of Legionnaires’ disease after visiting a spa in the Netherlands, local media reported on Friday.

As many as 300 people visited the spa in the northern Dutch town of Avenhorn and were at risk of infection, broadcaster RTV Noord-Holland reported, citing local health authorities. No new infections had been discovered since Wednesday, when the man was found to be infected with the bacteria, the report said. Local health officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

One of the largest ever recorded outbreaks of the illness was in the Netherlands in 1999, when 32 people died and more than 200 were infected after visiting a flower exhibition in the town of Bovenkarspel. Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia. It is contracted by breathing in a mist or vapour contaminated with the Legionella bacteria, which can grow in cooling towers, showers and other water sources. People already in poor health are the most vulnerable.

The illness is named for a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.