BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) - The authorities in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia said that an outbreak of legionnaire's disease in Barcelona earlier this month had been traced back to the air conditioning system of a private clinic.

Twenty men and seven women aged between 45 and 83 have been taken ill since August 7. The latest case was that of a woman of 64, who developed the symptoms between August 14 and 15.
 
Legionnaire's disease, or legionellosis, is a respiratory condition that causes fever, chills and sometimes coughing and is related to pneumonia.
 
The Generalitat, the regional government in Catalonia, said an analysis of samples taken on August 7 from air conditioning systems in the Villarca district of Barcelona showed a high concentration of the bacteria that causes legionnaire's disease in the clinic's cooling system.
 
The health authorities said 15 of the 27 people affected to date were still in hospital but their conditions were generally satisfactory.
 
They said further cases of legionnaire's disease might be detected in coming days since the incubation period lasted between two and 10 days and suffers might not have immediately sought medical assistance.
 
 

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