Health officials have re-declared a legionnaires’ disease outbreak in London, Ontario, after 25 new cases have been reported.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) stated that the outbreak, initially confirmed in early July and declared over on August 6, 2025, has now been associated with 94 residents, with 88 admissions and four deaths.
Investigations traced the source to nine cooling towers across the city, with further testing confirming that bacteria from Sofina Foods matched the strain associated with the outbreak.
Officials have mentioned that Legionella can stay in cooling towers despite proper cleaning, especially in humid conditions.
Sofina Foods stated that the findings were “unexpected,” stressing the safety of food products and that the company has taken precautionary measures while keeping the tower offline.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe kind of pneumonia that is commonly found in water vapours, humidifiers, and evaporative condensers of enlarged air systems that may foster the growth of bacteria.
Legionnaires' disease symptoms include muscle aches, cough, fever, or dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Legionnaires’ disease can not be transmitted from person to person and can be treated with antibiotics.
