Newborn recovering from Legionella as health authorities await final test results

A newborn, hospitalized for approximately two weeks at the Makarios Hospital in Nicosia due to a Legionella infection, has been successfully extubated and is now showing signs of improvement. Despite being off the ventilator, the infant remains under close medical observation in the neonatal intensive care unit while continuing to receive non-invasive mechanical support.

The case prompted a temporary suspension of operations at a private clinic in Nicosia where the baby was born. While the clinic issued a statement claiming that its water network was not the source of infection and that its environmental samples were not epidemiologically linked to the case, health officials have clarified that no final conclusion has been reached. Initial checks at the clinic did detect traces of the bacterium at two remote points, leading to a thorough disinfection process and the installation of specialized microbial filters.

The Ministry of Health, through Dr. Michalis Mendris of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit, has clarified that the clinic's assessment was not based on government findings. Environmental samples from the clinic, the family home, and the infant have been sent to a European reference laboratory in France for specialized molecular testing. Authorities expect these conclusive results within the next week to determine the exact point of exposure.