Deadly disease outbreak in Toronto linked to a TTC property

Toronto Public Health (TPH) has confirmed that a cooling tower at the TTC's Hillcrest Complex is the source of the latest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the city. 

On Tuesday, TPH revealed that environmental samples collected from a cooling tower at the TTC's Hillcrest Complex matched a clinical sample from a confirmed case of the potentially fatal disease. 

Earlier this month, officials announced that they were investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in an approximately one-kilometre radius near the intersection of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street. 

A total of six individuals became symptomatic between Thursday, July 2, and Sunday, July 26. According to TPH, confirmed cases were identified in people who live, work, or have visited the area. In its most recent update, TPH reiterated that Legionnaires' disease does not spread from person to person, and the risk to the public remains low. 

"The affected cooling equipment was taken offline as soon as it was identified, and remediation measures are being undertaken in accordance with public health guidance," the City's website reads. 

During its investigation, TPH also identified a possible epidemiological link between the outbreak related to the cooling tower and one at the Castleview Wychwood Towers Long-Term Care Home, which is located adjacent to Hillcrest. 

Five cases have been confirmed at the long-term facility, with the most recent individual developing symptoms on July 19. 

 Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria, which are present in water sources and can be found in man-made water systems, like cooling towers, humidifiers, hot tubs, decorative fountains, and sprinkler systems. 

Cooling towers have long been established as one of the most common sources of Legionella, with multiple past outbreaks linked to them across the world, including one in Toronto in 2005 at the Seven Oaks Home for the Aged, a long-term care facility.

 Legionnaires' disease can spread simply by people breathing in small droplets of water containing the bacteria. Symptoms of the disease typically include fever, cough, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in every 10 people who get sick with Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications from their illness, but most cases in healthy individuals can be treated successfully with certain antibiotics.