Nicosia clinic shut as Legionella found after newborn's infection
Health officials suspended a private Nicosia clinic's operations after Legionella bacteria turned up in its water system, following a Legionnaires' disease diagnosis in a newborn delivered there.
Cyprus's health ministry has ordered a private clinic in Nicosia to stop operating temporarily, as the Cyprus Mail reports, after tests found Legionella pneumophila in its plumbing. The move came after a baby born at the facility was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease and moved to the neonatal intensive care unit at Archbishop Makarios III Hospital for treatment.
Inspectors from environmental health services found the bacteria at several locations in the clinic's water network during preliminary checks, according to the ministry's Friday evening announcement. Officials described the closure as precautionary, to allow full decontamination, flushing of the system and repeat testing.
Other newborns who were at the clinic have been moved to other hospitals, and public health teams are watching paediatric wards and hospital networks for any further cases. The ministry says no other suspected or confirmed infections tied to the facility have been found so far.
What it means for residents
The closure concerns one private facility, but it is a reminder that Legionella can lurk in any large building's water system — including hotels, gyms and apartment blocks with underused pipes. Families with newborns or elderly relatives should know where to turn if symptoms appear.
- Watch for symptoms: Legionnaires' disease starts like flu — fever, cough, breathing trouble — and needs prompt medical care, especially in vulnerable people.
- Check your building: if taps or showers in your home or workplace have gone unused for weeks, run hot water through them before regular use.
- Follow updates: the clinic will reopen only after testing clears it; parents with appointments there should contact it directly for rescheduling.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
