 Legionnaires' disease is spread by water droplets |
A seventh case of Legionnaires' Disease has been discovered in an outbreak which has claimed two lives, it has been confirmed. Two pensioners in their 70s from Hereford have already died after catching the disease. Six cases have involved Herefordshire residents, while another involved a Welshman who had visited the city. Environmental health officials are checking air conditioning systems and water coolers for the legionella bacteria, which is spread in water droplets. The search is likely to continue for some days, but the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the source may never be found. The latest case concerns a Herefordshire resident but no further information has been supplied. 'Probably related' A joint statement by the Health Protection Agency, Herefordshire Council and the Herefordshire Primary Care Trust said: "A further case of Legionnaires' Disease has been confirmed in Herefordshire, making a total of seven recent cases which are probably related to the city of Hereford." The sixth case - confirmed on Monday - involved a 72-year-old man from Wales whom health officials believe may have contracted the disease during two visits to Hereford. He was said to be stable and is being treated at an undisclosed Welsh hospital. Health officials are trying to trace his movements, in the hope that as he only briefly visited the city it might help to pinpoint the outbreak's source. A further three victims are also being treated in Hereford County Hospital - two are described as serious but stable and one is recovering well. Doctors across the region have been alerted to the symptoms of the disease - which include a flu-like illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headache, dry cough and fever. Telephone hotline Samples have been taken from the confirmed cases to see whether patients caught the disease from the same source. Results are expected soon. Dr Mike Deakin, Herefordshire's director of public health, said further cases of the disease linked to the outbreak could not be ruled out. "The incubation period is normally between two and 10 days but can be up to three weeks," he said. A hotline has been set up by NHS Direct for concerned members of the public on 01785 231011.
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There is nothing to say we are not going to get any more cases over the next few days
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