Corporate irresponsibility

Legionella at the Melbourne Aquarium
 

(Legionella is a Gram negative Bacteria)

The multi-million dollar Melbourne aquarium opened in the beginning of 2000 and grew to be one of the most popular tourist spots in Melbourne. In the April of that year, Legionnaire’s Disease hit the aquarium. Three people died and seven ended up in the hospital. In total, 93 people had caught the disease. This was supposedly the "safest place in Melbourne" to visit. After the accident, visitors dropped almost 50 percent even after replacement of the water-based air conditioning system with a non-water based one and a health official declaring the aquarium. The aquarium also faces a class-action lawsuit seeking unspecified compensation for those who became infected. In response to the incident, the Victorian Government quickly moved to upgrade regulatory standards, establish a comprehensive registry of cooling towers, and require implementation of risk management programs with annual audits.

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