Legal advice after Potuguese Legionnaires disease outbreak

Alberto Mesquita the mayor of Vila Franca de Xira in Portugal said that 170 families of victims of the recent Portuguese Legionnaires disease outbreak had sought legal advice, with the intention of suing those responsible.

Although still being investigated it is believed that ultimately 12 people died and 375 were infected during the outbreak, which is believed to have finished in November 2014. The Portuguese outbreak was the third highest on record.

The outbreak and this legal aftermath illustrates the importance of monitoring and maintaining water systems to minimize public health risks. See also our blog on record keeping. Real time monitoring and complete record keeping are crucial in a fast moving world.

Situations like this make us wonder what are the advantages of waiting 10-14 days for a lab report.