There weren't many cars parked outside this shopping center in southeastern Norway on Monday. PHOTO: ROLF ØHMAN Health Director Lars E Hanssen expects Norwegian townships to monitor possible sources of Legionnaires infection. PHOTO: KNUT SNARE

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Health Director Lars E Hanssen says he will hold townships responsible for taking strides to prevent transmission of Legionnaires bacteria.

"This is serious," Hanssen told newspaper Aftenposten after a Legionnaires outbreak in southeastern Norway had taken the lives of five people by Monday evening. "This is a deadly disease that spreads great uncertainty. The townships must gain control over sources of infection."

As of Tuesday morning, authorities in Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg still hadn't been able to pinpoint the source of the outbreak that currently has sent nearly 100 people to the hospital. Cooling towers for air conditioning systems are the prime suspect, and local shopping centers are under probe.

Some, including Østfold Hallen in Fredrikstad, immediately started disinfecting their cooling towers over the weekend. "There's no danger of infection here anymore," said Espen Eggen, leader of Østfold Hallen.

Police in Østfold said the owners of any cooling systems found to contain Legionnaires bacteria can be held liable and vulnerable to criminal charges, for spreading a health risk.

Police Chief Otto Stärk said health authorities were conducting the inspections of possible infection sources, and that his staff was staying in close contact with the. "If there are signs of negligence, we expect the health authorities to let us know," he said.