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The bacteria which causes Legionnaires' disease has been found at six locations in the water supply at Galway's University College Hospital so far this year, it was confirmed today.
The Health Service Executive, which runs the hospital, stressed however that no patients had contracted Legionnaires' disease, which is a type of pneumonia.
It said the legionella bacteria was only found because monthly testing of the water supplies at both University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) and at Merlin Park hospital in the city is carried out.
Last week a higher than normal reading for legionella bacteria was found in the paediatrics department at UCHG and remedial work to address the problem is about to begin.
"We immediately removed the affected sinks out of service and there is no risk to patients. A full replumbing programme in the unit will begin next week which will be done on a phased basis, closing off specific sections for short periods but will take approximately six weeks to complete," the HSE said.
"We are fully satisfied that the measures taken provide protection against legionella infection for patients and/staff in the paediatric department," it added.
Legionella is a type of bacteria that naturally occurs in many water supplies. The bacteria is usually harmless to otherwise healthy people but in some situations if vulnerable patients inhale water droplets that contain the bacteria they can develop pneumonia.
The laboratory at UCHG regularly tests patients with pneumonia for this organism and no cases of infection acquired in the hospital have ever been identified, the HSE said.
