Poland's domestic security agency is looking into whether an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease may have been caused by deliberate interference with the water supply.
Health officials reported that 140 individuals have been hospitalized in Rzeszow and surrounding areas because of a disease-causing germ, killing at least 16 people.
Fatalities from the disease were among elderly people who also suffered from other health issues like cancer, authorities said.
Authorities said the disease killed elderly people who also had other health problems, such as cancer.
Location concern
The existence of Legionnaires' disease germs in the city's water piping system has been confirmed by laboratory tests. Authorities are still hunting for the source of the infections, which were in unprecedented numbers in the region.
According to experts, the viruses could have spread in high temperatures during the recent heat wave from rarely used plumbing.
Local media has reported that the Internal Security Agency (ABW) officers have been checking the local water system, and so far, there are no signs of sabotage.
"We have not identified any information that we are dealing with sabotage," Stanislaw Zaryn, the Polish government's plenipotentiary for information security, said in an interview.
The outbreak's location first sparked worries since Rzeszow serves as an entry point for military and humanitarian aid in Ukraine. The region is around 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the border.
It is also home to a significant United States military presence.
As a decontaminant, more chlorine has been added to the municipal water supply system.
Krzysztof Saczka, Chief Sanitary Inspector, has advised the public that the showers should be disinfected, sieves should be unscrewed, and only drink boiled water in the meantime.
Legionellosis is a rare type of pneumonia. The disease has no distinct clinical symptoms that separate it from other types of pneumonia, and laboratory tests are required to establish the diagnosis.
According to the World Health Organization, inhaling polluted aerosols from contaminated water is the most typical way legionella is transmitted.
Air conditioner cooling towers, hot and cold water systems, humidifiers, and whirlpool spas have all been implicated in legionella transmission.
Legionnaires' disease in Las Vegas
In Las Vegas, health officials have launched an investigation after cases of Legionnaires' disease were found in guests who stayed in two of the city's hotels.
According to the Southern Nevada Health District, two guests at Caesars Palace and one at The Orleans Hotel & Casino tested positive for the disease.
According to authorities, the Caesars Palace clients stayed at the hotel within the last 12 months.
Environmental testing failed to detect Legionella bacteria, and guests who may have been exposed are being contacted.
"Caesars Palace maintains a robust safety program to minimize the potential for the Legionella bacteria to survive in the water systems at its property that meet or exceed industry standards," the spokesperson of the hotel said in an email.
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