Parts of the Parliament building in Valletta have been isolated after legionella was found during "routine tests" soon before Christmas. The presence of the dangerous bacteria was confirmed yesterday by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia following enquires by Times of Malta, which acted on concerns raised by staff members and MPs who contacted the newsroom. Dr Farrugia pointed out that, at the time of writing, there were no reports of anybody contracting the bug and that prompt action had been taken in line with expert advice received from the environmental health authorities. Legionella is normally linked to poorly maintained air-conditioning and water systems and humidifiers. Dr Farrugia said the cause of the outbreak was attributed to the "non-use" of a particular outlet in the toilet facilities, located at level three of the administrative block, right next to the City Gate steps. Though the Environmental Health Directorate had taken samples on December 22 as part of a "routine" maintenance schedule, the alarm was raised five days later, when the results showed traces of legionella, he said. At that stage, the area was completely isolated and access to the zone, including the showers...
from timesofmalta.com http://ift.tt/2iPiuFp
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