Four more people have been confirmed to be infected with Legionella bacteria, apparently victims of a mass outbreak of the disease at a hot spring in Hyuga, Miyazaki Prefecture, prefectural government officials said Monday.
The finding brought the number of those confirmed to be infected with the bacteria to 26, four of whom have died.
The four people confirmed infected Monday comprise a man in his 20s, one in his 40s, one in his 50s and a woman in her 70s. They are all from Miyazaki Prefecture.
In addition, four more people are suspected of being infected with the bacteria, bringing the number of suspected cases to 252. Two of those with suspected infections have died.
Legionella bacteria causes pneumonia or fever, mostly in children and the elderly.
The disease has been reported among bathers at Hyuga Sun-Park Onsen, which is licensed to operate under the Public Bath House Law. It opened to the general public July 1 and halted operations July 24 following reports of the disease.
About 20,000 people used the facility during that period.
Miyazaki Prefectural Police have searched the spa and the Hyuga city office on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in deaths and bodily injuries.
The city of Hyuga owns a 92 percent interest in the spa, and the remainder is owned by local agricultural and fisheries cooperatives and two other organizations.