Walmart closes Surrey store after legionnaires’ outbreak

SURREY — Walmart Canada has closed one of its stores in Surrey out of “an abundance of caution” following an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease.

Anika Malik, the company’s director of corporate affairs, said Walmart was contacted by the health authority investigating the source of the disease and chose to close its store at Guildford Town Centre voluntarily.

Fraser Health said seven cases of the respiratory infection have been confirmed in two weeks.

The authority has identified the bacteria that causes the disease in the cooling towers for the mall and the Walmart, but it said that doesn’t mean they were the source.

Legionnaires’ disease is a pneumonia caused by the legionella bacteria, which can grow and spread in building water systems that aerosolize water, such as cooling towers, hot tubs that aren’t regularly drained, decorative fountains and large plumbing systems.

Individuals can get the disease by breathing water droplets containing the bacteria, although most healthy people don’t develop the disease. Those at higher risk for developing pneumonia are the elderly, smokers, people with chronic lung conditions and those with compromised immune systems.

Medical health officer Dr. Aamir Bharmal said the health authority tested samples at the mall and Walmart after some of the patients reported visiting those locations. “We’re not suggesting at all that people stay away from this mall or stay away from Walmart. They’ve been very receptive to what we’ve told them and they’ve started cleaning measures right away,” he said.