TTC Cooling Tower Identified as Source of Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Toronto Public Health confirms a cooling tower at the Hillcrest Complex spread the potentially fatal pneumonia, with possible links to a nearby long-term care home.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) has confirmed that a cooling tower located at the TTC's Hillcrest Complex was the source of a recent Legionnaires' disease outbreak, according to reporting from BlogTO.
TPH revealed on Tuesday that environmental samples from the Hillcrest Complex cooling tower matched a clinical sample from a confirmed case. The outbreak occurred within a one-kilometre radius of the Bathurst Street and Dupont Street intersection. Between July 2 and July 26, six individuals who lived, worked, or visited the area became symptomatic.
BlogTO reports that TPH also found a possible epidemiological link between the cooling tower outbreak and a separate cluster at the Castleview Wychwood Towers Long-Term Care Home, which sits adjacent to the Hillcrest site. Five cases have been confirmed at the long-term care facility, with the most recent case appearing on July 19.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria found in man-made water systems. While TPH states the risk to the public remains low and the disease does not spread person-to-person, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that approximately 1 in 10 people who contract the illness die due to complications.
The City's website states that the cooling equipment was taken offline once identified and that remediation is underway following public health guidance.