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Deadly cases of Legionnaires' disease in France: an Asian buffet is at the origin of the outbreak
An Asian restaurant in Chambéry was identified on Wednesday as being at the origin of a legionella outbreak that caused two deaths and at least 30 cases in Savoie between June and August.
By La Voix du Nord with AFP
Published: August 26, 2026 at 5:36 PM Reading time: 2 min
A restaurant in Chambéry has been identified as a source of Legionnaires' disease contamination in Savoie , a department affected by a resurgence of this infection during the summer, health authorities announced on Wednesday. A total of 48 cases of Legionnaires' disease, which affects the lungs, were recorded in the department between June 1 and August 21, and two people died, the regional health agency explained at a press conference in Chambéry.
A misting system
Initially, the Regional Health Agency (ARS) reported a third death, but further tests showed that the individual had not contracted Legionella bacteria, which is transmitted through the inhalation of water droplets. Thirty of the infected individuals had frequented the same Asian buffet restaurant in Chambéry, where one customer died. Authorities, with the cooperation of the restaurant's management, identified the source of contamination as a misting system directed towards the food.
Since the shutdown of this system on August 5, " no new cases " have been linked to the facility, reported Dr. Anne-Sophie Ronnaux-Baron, head of health surveillance at the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency (ARS). It is unusual to be able to identify the source of an increased incidence of cases in this way. According to the ARS, between 200 and 400 cases of Legionnaires' disease are reported annually in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The disease is fatal in approximately 10% of cases.
Un restaurant asiatique de Chambéry a été identifié, ce mercredi, comme étant à...
www.lavoixdunord.fr
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Resurgence of Legionnaires' disease cases in Savoie
Health alert
August 26, 2026
Health authorities have noted an unusual increase in Legionnaires' disease cases in Savoie since June. The situation is currently improving, which appears to signal the end of this period of high incidence. Furthermore, the latest results have identified one of the sources of contamination.
Context
[Situation update as of August 26]
Between June 1st and August 26th, 48 cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported to health authorities in Savoie:
- 39 cases reside in Savoie, 9 have stayed in the department.
- The sick people are between 26 and 91 years old.
- 46 cases were hospitalized for respiratory problems, most of whom have recovered and returned home.
- Two deaths have been reported among people over 80 years old. One of these deaths, the most recent one recorded, is linked to contamination of the private water supply.
Healthcare professionals in the sector have been informed of the situation so that they can more quickly identify potential patients with symptoms suggestive of this infection.
Epidemiological, environmental and bacteriological investigations have been carried out to try to determine the origin of the contamination. They are being conducted by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency and Public Health France, in conjunction with the Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing (DREAL), the Departmental Directorate for Employment, Labour, Solidarity and Population Protection (DDETSPP) and the National Reference Centre (CNR).
They made it possible to prioritize the west of the department, particularly the Chambéry basin: 39 of the 48 cases reside and/or have frequented the area.
Nearly fifty samples were taken: water networks in apartment buildings, cooling towers, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. Precautionary measures were taken in various public places while awaiting the results.
At this stage, the investigations have identified one of the sources of contamination. Patients or their close contacts were interviewed about their activities and movements during the 14 days preceding the onset of the illness. The investigations showed that 30 cases had frequented the same restaurant, representing 75% of the cases residing in or having visited the Chambéry area.
According to Public Health France, an epidemiological link has been established between patronage of this restaurant and the 30 cases of infection. The restaurant is equipped with a misting system, which was deactivated as a precautionary measure on August 5th at the request of the Regional Health Agency (ARS). Following the shutdown of this system, no new infections have been identified, despite continued patronage of the restaurant.
This does not explain all the cases that occurred in Savoie during this period; isolated cases may have been infected by other sources. Furthermore, it is worth recalling that in the majority of Legionnaires' disease clusters investigated in France over the past 15 years, the source of contamination could not be identified.
The situation of over-incidence now appears to be under control.
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Les autorités sanitaires ont noté une augmentation inhabituelle des cas de légionellose en Savoie depuis le mois de juin. A ce jour la situation évolue favorablement, ce qui semble marquer la fin de cette situation de sur-incidence. Par ailleurs, les derniers résultats ont permis d’identifier...
www.auvergne-rhone-alpes.ars.sante.fr
