Gardeners are being warned to take care when handling potting mix after three cases of Legionnaires’ disease in eight days were confirmed in the Tasman district. This follows the death of a person in Dunedin from the disease.
Four cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed in 2019. There have been 53 cases in the region since 2010.
Clinical Director of Public Health Dr Stephen Bridgman said Legionnaires’ disease was a serious illness that could cause pneumonia and, in some cases, death.
Potting mix was the most common source of the Legionella bacteria; it was also present in inadequately-treated spa pools. It was not contagious and could be caught by inhaling soil or compost dust or droplets of water in the air.
To avoid Legionnaires’ disease gardeners were advised to open potting mix bags carefully using scissors, wear a disposable face mask and gloves, and open the bag away from their face. Potting should be done in a well-ventilated area outdoors, and potting mix or compost should be dampened down. Gardeners were advised to wash hands thoroughly after handling potting mix, or gardening.
Early symptoms of the disease can appear two -14 days after exposure and are similar to the flu, including fever and chills, cough shortness of breath muscle aches, headaches and stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone with these symptoms should see their doctor.
