Likely source of legionnaires’ disease outbreak identified after 78 cases and two deaths recorded in Melbourne

Victoria’s chief health officer, Dr Clare Looker, says the health department is confident ‘we have identified and already treated the source’ of the legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Laverton North. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

A cooling tower in Melbourne’s west is the likely source of a legionnaires’ outbreak that has been linked to the deaths of two people, Victoria’s chief health officer says.

Over the weekend, the health department confirmed a man in his 60s died after being diagnosed with legionnaires’ disease during an outbreak in Melbourne’s west and north-west. As of Monday evening, 78 confirmed cases and 10 suspected cases had been reported to the department.