Legionella at the Melbourne Aquarium
The multi-million dollar Melbourne Aquarium opened at the beginning of 2000 and grew to be one of Melbourne's most popular tourist destinations. It was a big drawcard in the battle for a share of the Australia’s lucrative tourist trade.
Then in April, Legionnaire’s Disease struck the complex: three people died, seven were hospitalised in critical condition and a total of 93 people, including Australian Finance Minister John Fahey, were confirmed as having contracted the disease.
The incident devastated the complex. Despite replacement of the water-based air-conditioning system with a non-water-based one, and a health official declaring the aquarium ``the safest place in Melbourne to visit,'' attendance dropped almost 50 percent. The aquarium also faces a class-action lawsuit seeking unspecified compensation for those who became infected.
In response to the incident, the Victorian Government quickly moved to upgrade regulatory standards, establish a comprehensive registry of cooling towers, and require implementation of risk management programs with annual audits.