万博ばんぱく 人工じんこう池ちでレジオネラ属ぞく菌きん 保健所ほけんじょが連絡れんらくも対策たいさくは翌日よくじつの夜よる

Legionella bacteria levels far exceeding national guidelines were detected in an artificial pond at the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue. It has been revealed that after the Expo Association was contacted by the public health center, no measures were taken until the night of the following day, and people were allowed to enter the pond during that time.

The Expo Association explained, We did not recognize the advice from the public health center as requiring urgency.

The association said, We did not recognize the need for urgency. At the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue, Legionella bacteria at 20 times the national guideline level were detected both in the seawater of the area called Water Plaza, where daily water shows are held, and in the artificial shallow pond in the central area called Forest of Tranquility, which people can enter. As a result, measures such as suspending the shows and stopping the use of the pond have been taken.

Of these, regarding the artificial pond in the Forest of Silence area, the Expo Association was informed of the inspection results by the Osaka City Public Health Center on the night of the 28th last month, but they did not take action until after business hours at 10 p.m. the following day, meaning that during business hours, people were still able to enter the pond.

Koji Yamakita, Acting Director of the Exposition Association Facility Maintenance and Management Bureau, stated at a press conference, We did not recognize the advice from the public health center as requiring urgency.

Osaka City Public Health Center said, We are contacting them immediately so that they can respond quickly.

“They are requesting a review of the measures because the values at two locations in the venue greatly exceed the guidelines.”

The detected bacteria were 20 times the national guideline value. Regarding this issue, Jun Takashina, Deputy Secretary-General of the Expo Association, explained on the 5th that the bacteria detected in seawater collected by the association on the 3rd was 2,000 CFU per 100 milliliters, greatly exceeding the national guideline value of 100 CFU per 100 milliliters.

Deputy Secretary-General Takashina said, We deeply apologize to the customers who were looking forward to watching the water show for the inconvenience caused.

We are working on measures to improve water quality and will strive to resume operations as soon as possible, he said.

Also, it has been revealed that in last months inspection by the health center, Legionella bacteria exceeding the guideline levels were detected in an artificial shallow pond located in the area called Forest of Silence at the center of the venue.

This pond is a place where visitors are allowed to enter, but the Expo Association drained the water and suspended its use starting from the 30th of last month.

According to the Osaka City Public Health Center, which is responsible for the sanitary conditions at the Expo site, there have been no reports so far of anyone who visited the site suffering health problems caused by Legionella bacteria.