Gardeners reminded of threat from potting mix and compost
Health New Zealand is reminding New Zealanders to take precautions to protect against Legionnaires’ disease when gardening this spring, after 135 people were hospitalised with the illness over the past year across New Zealand.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caught by breathing in legionella bacteria. This thrives in moist environments and stagnant water, including potting mix, compost and other soil products, and every spring public health records an influx of notifications linked to these sources.
Legionnaires’ disease can cause severe illness, but there are simple precautions you can take while gardening to help protect yourself:
- Open bags of potting mix and compost outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Wear gloves and a well-fitting face mask, preferably an N95 mask.
- Dampen soil products to reduce dust.
- Wash and dry your hands thoroughly after gardening or handling soil products.
“Legionnaires’ disease symptoms are similar to a flu-like illness, and can include a cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and vomiting, stomach aches, diarrhoea and excessive sweating. Some people also develop mental confusion or disorientation,” says Medical Officer of Health at the National Public Health Service Dr Matthew Reid.
The illness typically worsens over several days and requires treatment with antibiotics, with most cases requiring hospitalisation.
“If you experience these symptoms, particularly after using potting mix or compost, you should contact your usual health care provider for advice or call Healthline for free on 0800 611 116.”
Find out more about legionnaire's disease (Health NZ).
Welcome to Waka Toa Ora
Waka Toa Ora is a Canterbury DHB-led inter-sectoral collaborative partnership in the Canterbury region. The partnership is based on the WHO Healthy Cities model, and was previously known as Healthy Christchurch.
The key theme of initiative is that all sectors and groups have a role to play in creating a healthy Canterbury, whatever their specific focus (recreation, employment, youth, environmental enhancement, transport, housing or another aspect of health or wellbeing).
This inter-sectoral initiative fosters collaboration between organisations who have signed the Waka Toa Ora Charter.
Read the Waka Toa Ora Charter - updated July 2019.
The new name Waka Toa Ora communicates that we are all in a waka together. We are rowing in the same direction and navigating the many dimensions of wellbeing (physical, social, spiritual, and mental and emotional — hau ora, wai ora, mauri ora, toi ora). We are stronger navigating the regional landscape together.
There are currently over 200 charter signatories to the Waka Toa Ora Charter, including government agencies, businesses, voluntary sector groups, networks and residents’ associations. The organisations involved reflect a diverse focus and cover many aspects of health and wellbeing.
