It seems that there is some breather for the people in Auckland as there was no more life claimed over the long weekend due to Legionnaires' disease. It was some seven weeks ago that the disease caught the attention of the health experts with as many as 12 hospitalized, including one death early this month.

With the disease gripping as many as 300 buildings in the city, there were fears that things might get worst in the time to come. There are joint efforts made by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) and the Auckland Council to make people aware that they must clean all cooling towers and industrial water cooling systems to avert any potential risk.

Reports have confirmed that four people were admitted to North Shore Hospital, while Middlemore Hospital reported three more patients over the past six weeks. All these patients as of now are fine and have been discharged too.

It has become all the more imperative that all those who face symptoms like headache, diarrhoea, dry cough, drowsiness and delirium consult their doctors immediately, and if needed, they must get hospitalized.

"This is an urgent matter concerning the health of our population”, said ARPHS Medical Officer Dr. Simon Baker, who claims that there is urgent need for building managers to take on the onus of the current situation and follow the directions recommended by the ARPHS.

The investigation so far has revealed that the disease must have come from a water source, and that’s why air conditioning systems in buildings are being screened. However, contaminated potting mix has been given clear signal this time. It has been made clear that there is dire need for arranging shock-dosing of the systems to avert the risk else things could become all the more complex in the time to come.