Leszek Szymański/PAP

The death toll from an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the south-eastern city of Rzeszow has risen to 16, local health authorities reported on Wednesday.

The last two victims of the deadly bacteria are patients admitted to the hospital on August 26 and 27.

The head of the Rzeszow Sanitary Inspectorate, Jaromir Slaczka, said on Wednesday that all the 16 people who had died were being treated for other medical conditions.

In all, at least 155 people infected with Legionella have been hospitalised since the outbreak in various hospitals across the country, but most of the patients (104) are in Rzeszow.

The health authorities are still trying to determine the source of the contamination.

Legionnaires’ disease, caused by Legionella bacteria, is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person, but can multiply in water and air-conditioning systems. Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to the disease.