Canada: 5 dead, 105 sick in legionnaires’ disease outbreak in London, Ontario

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Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/11279882/...ondon-ontario/

1 dead, dozens sick in legionnaires’ disease outbreak in London, Ont.
By Staff The Canadian Press
Posted July 8, 2025 1:43 pm
Updated July 8, 2025 1:46 pm


Public health officials in London, Ont., say one person has died and more than 40 have become sick in an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit says most of the 43 cases were reported over the last week and are within six kilometres of each other in the southeast side of the city...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...reak-1.7584845

Another person dead in London, Ont., legionnaires' outbreak
New map from health unit shows general area patients are located
Kate Dubinski · CBC News · Posted: Jul 14, 2025 5:05 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

Another person has died and 20 more are sick from legionnaires' disease in London, Ont., pubic health officials warn.

That brings the outbreak to a total of two people dead and 64 sick since it was declared by the Middlesex-London Health Unit less than a week ago, on July 8.

The patients have ranged in age from 23- to 93-years old, but health officials still don't have an exact source of the deadly bacteria, or whether it is linked to an outbreak that killed two people last year...

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Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...sick-1.7618150

Source of deadly legionnaires' outbreak in London, Ont., is ID'd as more become sick
Middlesex-London Health Unit thought outbreak was over, but 25 more people have fallen ill
CBC News · Posted: Aug 26, 2025 2:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

The source of a persistent outbreak of legionnaires' disease that's killed four people and sent more than 90 people to hospital in London, Ont., has been uncovered.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) said Tuesday that it has matched the bacterial subtype that can cause pneumonia-like symptoms in people to Sofina Foods Inc. in the city's east-end.

The meat-processing plant employs hundreds of workers. CBC News has contacted the company for comment and will update this story if any comment is received...

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• Middlesex-London Health Unit
  August 26, 2025
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Middlesex-London Health Unit Redeclares Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak Following 25 New Cases; Likely Source Identified

Posted by Middlesex-London Health Unit on August 26, 2025


The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is redeclaring the outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in London, following confirmation of 25 additional cases. The decision to reopen the outbreak reflects a rise in cases after several weeks without new cases, suggesting that the Legionella bacteria has re-emerged in the environment despite earlier remediation efforts. To date, the outbreak in 2025 has been linked to serious pneumonia in at least 94 London residents, resulting in 86 hospitalizations and four deaths.

Legionella bacteria occur naturally in soil and water, especially warm water. They can contaminate and grow in environments such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, parts of air-conditioning systems in large buildings, and decorative pools or fountains.

During extensive case investigations, environmental sampling, and collaboration with building operators, multiple cooling towers at nine separate locations in London tested positive for live Legionella bacteria. Results from further testing at Sofina Foods Inc. were found to match the subtype linked to the outbreak. Despite routine cleaning and disinfection, trace bacteria can sometimes persist in cooling towers and regrow under hot, humid conditions. Earlier testing at the facility in 2024 and early 2025 did not produce a match. In the last month, two rounds of testing were conducted; the first showed no match, while the second did, most likely because of bacterial regrowth between the tests.

“For several weeks, no additional illnesses were reported, and we were optimistic that remediation efforts had eliminated the bacteria. However, 25 more people have now become ill,” says Dr. Joanne Kearon, Associate Medical Officer of Health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “Fortunately, a likely source has now been identified.”

The MLHU is working diligently to ensure comprehensive remediation, with the goal of preventing additional cases. The operator has been fully cooperative throughout the outbreak, following required protocols, and taking every necessary step to complete thorough remediation.

The Health Unit will also continue to provide education and guidance to cooling tower operators across London and Middlesex County ahead of each Legionella season.

Legionnaires’ disease is spread when people breathe in small droplets of water containing the bacteria, such as those released from cooling towers. It is not transmitted through eating or drinking, and food products from Sofina Foods Inc. remain safe to consume.

The Health Unit will resume posting updated case counts for the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak on the website. Updates will be provided weekly on Tuesday afternoons.

Read more about Legionella and Cooling Towers, here: www.healthunit.com/health-hazards#legionella.

https://www.healthunit.com/news/middlesex-london-health-unit-redeclares-legionnaires-disease

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Confirmed Legionnaires’ Disease Cases in the Middlesex-London Region


The Middlesex-London Health Unit is providing an update to the community following the redeclaration of the Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak. A source for the outbreak has now been identified and remediation is underway. Please note: Data will be updated each week on Tuesday afternoons.

Outbreak-Associated Case Details


Data extracted: August 26, 2025 (8:30am)

https://www.healthunit.com/confirmed-legionnaires-disease-cases

[Shiloh]

Source: https://windsorstar.com/news/local-n...s-another-life


Legionnaires’ newest outbreak in London claims another life
So far this year, the health unit has reported 105 cases of the disease.
Author of the article:
By Postmedia News
Published Sep 10, 2025
By: Beatriz Baleeiro


LONDON, ONT. — One more person has died and another has been infected since the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in London was redeclared on Aug. 26, health officials say.

The outbreak, first declared on July 8 and declared over on Aug. 6 after weeks without new cases, remains active following a resurgence of infections and another death, said Angela Ma, a medical resident with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU).

So far this year, the health unit has reported 105 cases of Legionnaires’ disease, including 35 since Aug. 6.

In the past week, another person died, bringing the total deaths to five, and another case has been added, Ma told Postmedia News on Tuesday. Four people are in hospital, pushing total hospitalizations to 96 since the outbreak began, according to the health unit...