RESORTS on Phuket have been urged to improve their safety standards to prevent tourists catching Legionnaire's Disease - and to prevent alerts being placed on Phuket as a holiday destination.
Bacteria in Jacuzzis, showers and in some pools had caused people on holidays to contract the condition and not discover they had Legionnaires until they arrived home, Dr Wiwat Keetamanoch, of Phuket's Public Health Department, told a meting chaired by Deputy Phuket Governor Chaiwat Thapee.
European authorities said as many as five people had contracted Legionnaires on Phuket in a single year. ''Nobody has died from Legionnaires caught on Phuket,'' Dr Wiwat said.
''But the European authorities have told us that improvements need to be made to prevent people catching Legionnaires, or Phuket will go onto a list sent to agents in 40 countries, giving notice that we have a problem.''
Dr Wiwat said people who smoked heavily or who had lung problems were susceptible to Legionnaires. The level of cases on Phuket was no higher than elsewhere in the world, he added, but resorts and guesthouses needed to make sure they act to reduce the cases.
Deputy Governor Chaiwat said that the five-yearly renewal of permission to run resorts and hotels was coming up at the end of 2010 so a check on the prospects of Legionnaires being carried would become part of the inspection process.
The fatality rate of Legionnaires' disease has ranged from 5% to 30% during various outbreaks. Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia.
A meeting of local authorities on December 14 will highlight the need for a check on Legionnaires and other health-related issues concerning tourists.
''We will raise it as well with the honorary consuls at the next quarterly meeting in February,'' he said.
Bacteria in Jacuzzis, showers and in some pools had caused people on holidays to contract the condition and not discover they had Legionnaires until they arrived home, Dr Wiwat Keetamanoch, of Phuket's Public Health Department, told a meting chaired by Deputy Phuket Governor Chaiwat Thapee.
European authorities said as many as five people had contracted Legionnaires on Phuket in a single year. ''Nobody has died from Legionnaires caught on Phuket,'' Dr Wiwat said.
''But the European authorities have told us that improvements need to be made to prevent people catching Legionnaires, or Phuket will go onto a list sent to agents in 40 countries, giving notice that we have a problem.''
Dr Wiwat said people who smoked heavily or who had lung problems were susceptible to Legionnaires. The level of cases on Phuket was no higher than elsewhere in the world, he added, but resorts and guesthouses needed to make sure they act to reduce the cases.
Deputy Governor Chaiwat said that the five-yearly renewal of permission to run resorts and hotels was coming up at the end of 2010 so a check on the prospects of Legionnaires being carried would become part of the inspection process.
The fatality rate of Legionnaires' disease has ranged from 5% to 30% during various outbreaks. Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia.
A meeting of local authorities on December 14 will highlight the need for a check on Legionnaires and other health-related issues concerning tourists.
''We will raise it as well with the honorary consuls at the next quarterly meeting in February,'' he said.
Checks for legionnaires disease are practice standards in all major hotel brands, the tests are easy and legionnaire disease can be avoided simply by keeping cooling towers, water treatment plants etc clean and follow the recommended cleaning procedures.
hotel manager patong
Posted by mj on November 30, 2010 13:50