An infection of Legionella bacteria, which can cause pneumonia, was discovered in the hot water system of a building at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya which houses the departments of pediatric surgery, orthopedics, children, premature births, pediatric intensive care and the ward for women and pregnancy at risk.
With the discovery, the use of the hot water system in the building was stopped. At the order of the Ministry of Health, an alternative plan was prepared in each department for the use of hot water, the ambulatory activity in the building was halted, and some of the patients were transferred to other departments. At the same time, the hospital's maintenance personnel, accompanied by other external experts, started work on the purification of the hot water system. No infected patients were found.