An infant diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease remains in critical condition at the neonatal intensive care unit of Makarios hospital, Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said on Saturday.

Charilaou said there had been no change in the baby’s condition, with treating doctors continuing to assess it as critical.

The infant was diagnosed with the disease at a private hospital in Nicosia in mid-October.

Following the reported infection, the health ministry temporarily suspended the hospital’s operations.

Subsequent laboratory tests returned negative results, allowing the hospital to reopen with the ministry’s approval.

Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial infection that primarily affects the respiratory system and can cause severe pneumonia.

The bacteria thrive in water systems and can spread when people inhale droplets of contaminated water.

Potential sources include showers, taps, hot water systems and cooling towers in large buildings, particularly where water systems are poorly maintained.

Symptoms typically develop between two and ten days after exposure and can include high fever, coughing, severe fatigue and difficulty breathing.

Some patients may also experience diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain.

The disease does not usually spread from person to person.