Health warning issued after Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Sydney

Authorities in New South Wales have issued a health warning to those who have been in the Sydney CBD in the past 10 days.

NSW Health is asking people to monitor for symptoms of Legionnaires' disease, after five people developed the disease in the last three weeks having spent time in the area.

The two women and three men independently visited locations between Museum Station, York Street, Park Street and Martin Place in the 10 days prior to their onset of symptoms.

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All five people, ranging in age from their 40s to 70s, have been identified with the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease and have been admitted to hospital for treatment for pneumonia.

NSW Health says symptoms of Legionnaires' disease, which includes fever, chills, a cough and shortness of breath, can develop up to 10 days from the time of exposure.

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It can lead to severe chest infections such as pneumonia and usually requires antibiotic treatment in hospital.

The bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease is often associated with contaminated cooling towers of large buildings.

People can be exposed to the bacteria if contaminated water particles are released into the air through cooling systems and then breathed in.

Environmental health officers from NSW Health are now working with the City of Sydney to assess cooling towers in the CBD to discover the potential sources of the outbreak.

These five cases follow a number of recently identified cases of Legionnaires' disease throughout Sydney.