Legionnaires’ report in final stages

POLICE have both criminal and disciplinary liability in their investigation into the deaths of the three infants that contracted Legionnaires’ disease at the Hippocration Hospital in December last year.

The report will be out either today or at the latest by Monday, Nicosia Police Chief Kypros Michaelides said yesterday.

“We are at the final stages. The Nicosia CID team specially appointed for the investigation have taken statements from doctors, nursing staff as well as the parents of the three babies,” he said.

“We also have the results of the scientific analyses conducted in a specialised lab in England that confirm the problem started from the Hippocration’s water system.”

Michaelides said the report on the investigation would be handed over to the Attorney-General who would give us further instructions .

“We have made suggestions for criminal and disciplinary responsibilities but the AG will have the final say,” he said.

The criminal aspect of the case concerns whether the necessary steps were taken to prevent the outbreak of the bacterium, while the disciplinary aspect concerns whether the relevant health department carried out the necessary checks. .

Those questions will be answered at the meeting to be held with the Attorney General, who will have the last word, MIchaelides said.

The babies that died were three of eleven who were infected with Legionnaires’, contracted at the private Nicosia clinic between December 17 and 27. All had been discharged healthy. They developed symptoms a few days later and were rushed to Makarios Hospital, where they were receiving treatment.