Well, the figures cover the period from 2017 to 2023 with the summer still being the most common time for reported cases. Unsurprisingly, the number of confirmed cases of Legionellosis was significantly lower in 2020 and 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic meant people were traveling less, reducing the risks of exposure and, let’s be honest, there were other more prevalent respiratory conditions to be worried about and reporting on at that time.
That said, the 2023 figures were high with 604 reported cases reported, against the average of 500 in previous years; with 36% of cases found in individuals aged 70 years and over. While the risks associated with contacting legionellosis are known to increase with age, these figures are higher than pre-pandemic levels and an aging population could be an indication that the numbers will continue to rise.
Expose from travel still accounts for a large percentage of outbreaks (outside the pandemic period) and the male to female ratio appears to have remained steady with 70% cases reported in males and 30% in females in 2023. Pre-existing health conditions also continue to play a key role in the statistics. Across the data, 80% of cases had at least one underlying risk factor or health condition. The most common of which was smoking and diabetes respectively.
There is good news, while the number of reports cases seems to be increasing overall, the case fatality rate appears to be decreasing with 6% of cases resulting in a death.
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