Checks of air-conditioners in Chiang Mai disclosed many contained Legionella bacteria.
A report in the Nation newspaper, this week, alleged that of 100 air-conditioning units investigated, around 40 per cent were breeding grounds for the germs that cause Legionnaires’ Disease.
Checks were made on units in both hotels and commercial premises. An official at the city’s health department said that these high levels of contamination posed the risk of an outbreak of the potentially fatal disease.
To eliminate the danger of infection, hotels and businesses are advised to perform regular maintenance on their air-conditioners. Part of the preventative measures should involve strict cleaning of the unit’s filters, and also of the building’s water supplies.
The initial symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease are similar to influenza. If ignored, or undiagnosed, the symptoms can lead to bad lung infections and pneumonia. People particularly susceptible to the disease are smokers and the elderly.
There have been several cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in the kingdom. In 1995 a British national contracted it in Pattaya. Among additional reported incidences were the six visitors discovered to have caught the disease in Phuket, in 2006.
In 1999, three more Britons were found to be carrying the disease, while holidaying in Chiang Mai.
People entering areas that are suspected to be contaminated by Legionella bacteria, are advised to wear a reasonable quality face mask.
Masks that are required are similar to the ones worn by Chiang Mai residents, when the city occasionally becomes shrouded by smog. The smog is caused by forests burning, and is especially bad just before the onset of the rainy season.
