Poland investigates outbreak of deadly disease in Rzeszow, which is affecting supplies to Ukraine
Authorities are checking whether the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Rzeszow could be a sabotage, taking into account the city's role as a NATO supply center
Poland's Internal Security Agency is investigating whether the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Rzeszow could be a sabotage, given the city's role as a NATO supply center for Ukraine.
According to local authorities, the lung disease has already killed seven people in Rzeszow and hospitalized 113.
Source. Bloomberg
The investigation is aimed at ruling out any external actions that could have led to the outbreak, said Stanislaw Żaryn, a spokesman for the Polish security services.
He added that it is necessary to check various scenarios. The official explained that it is a matter of routine work. This includes ruling out any possible Russian involvement, he added.
Rzeszow, a city of about 200,000 inhabitants that is 100 km from the Ukrainian border, has become a gateway for Western humanitarian aid and military supplies to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began.
Local authorities are conducting medical tests and expect to learn the source of the outbreak on Monday, Eva Leniart, the head of the region's government, told RMF. She said the infection was most likely caused by water in the water supply system and the situation was under control.
According to the WHO, Legionnaires' pneumonia is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria that causes death in 5-10% of cases on average. People can get sick when they inhale water droplets or swallow water containing the bacteria.
The bacteria that cause the disease were found in 113 patients hospitalized in Rzeszów and the surrounding area, health authorities said. Seven people who died were aged 64 to 95 and had other medical conditions.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, in 2021, about 10,700 cases of the disease were reported in the European Union, with 704 deaths.
Concerns about possible hostile activities by the Kremlin are growing as tensions over the war escalate. Polish authorities have detained at least 15 people this year accused of spying for Russia. In March, the country's Interior Ministry said the suspects were trying to disrupt shipments of equipment, weapons, and aid to Ukraine.
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