People in Barrow-in-Furness are "anxious" for the full extent of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak to emerge, but there is no panic say civic leaders.

The mood within the community was described by health officials as "subdued" and "sensible" as the likely source of the outbreak was identified as a water cooler system in a local civic centre.

I hope these actions that have been taken can alleviate a lot of the suffering and anxieties that are going through the town

Cllr Paddy Waiting

Council leader Terry Waiting said anyone who had walked down an alleyway where steam emerged from the Forum 28 building was at risk.

"I've walked down there myself on a number of occasions every day and so have a lot of other people.

Terry Waiting: Anxiety in the town

"Not everybody will be infected because it's a chance thing. The drop has to be at just the right size and the right temperature."

The centre was closed on Thursday, before the disease was known, when council staff noticed the water cooling system was expelling steam.

Public health officials fear 100 or more cases of Legionnaires' disease will be diagnosed in the outbreak in which 19 cases have so far been diagnosed, with 36 more being treated on the assumption they are infected.

An 89-year-old man has died and another nine people are in intensive care, five of whom are said to be giving staff cause for concern.

'Calm and sensible'

"I'm personally very sad that someone has died from this and I'm sure the whole town is," said Mr Waiting.

"I hope these actions that have been taken can alleviate a lot of the suffering and anxieties that are going through the town."

Key disease facts

Legionnaires' is a form of pneumonia It is caused by bacteria in water systems, like cooling towers It cannot be passed by one person to another It is fatal in 5% to 15% of cases In 1998, 226 cases were reported in England and Wales. Twenty-five people died

He said there was no danger to people who had been inside the council complex, which houses a 500-seater theatre.

Furness General Hospital extra medical supplies are being brought in to deal with the rising number of cases.

Dr David Telford of the Morecambe Bay NHS Trust said: "The town is subdued. People are concerned but there's no sense of panic. People are being very calm and sensible."