Legionnaires' disease outbreak source being narrowed down

One day after the Nova Scotia Health Authority confirmed it is dealing with an outbreak of legionnaires' disease at a Dartmouth seniors complex, no new cases were reported Saturday.

The health authority said there is no word on the source of the disease, but air conditioners have been ruled out as a possibility.

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Residents ofthe Alderney Manor apartment building have been given the OK to use the air conditioners again.

On Friday, two more cases were confirmed, bringing the total to three and meeting the authority's definition of an outbreak.

Representatives from the Nova Scotia Housing Authority, which oversees the building, met withresidents Friday night.

'I'm getting along'

Valerie Bangay has lived in the building for two years and says the most difficult thing for her is not being able to take a shower.

"I'm getting along," she said.

Friday's meeting was the first time Bangay said she'd heard about the outbreak.

"It's inconvenience, that's all. Inconvenience. As far as being scared or anything like that, it's not stressing me out. I'm not scared because they're doing everything they can," she said.

Lori Errington with the department of community services said thehousing authoritytold residents the water was safe to brush teeth with and to drink.

They were also told to take baths instead of showers because legionnaires' can be distributed through the steam.

When filling bathtubs, residents were advised to keep the bathroom door closed.

Errington said the housing authority has hired an outside contractor to test the water system.

The health authority says the water is being tested at the microbiology lab at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and results may take a week.