A third person has died as a result of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Cumbria.

Fifty-four-year-old Georgina Somerville, of Barrow, died on Tuesday. She had been admitted to Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust a few days ago.

An 88-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman died last week, in what is Britain's worst outbreak for a decade.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go out to the family of this lady

Ian Cumming, trust chief executive

There have been 125 confirmed cases of the disease and 66 people remain in hospital. Thirteen are in intensive care units.

A further two cases have been confirmed in Glasgow and are believed to be linked to the Barrow-in-Furness outbreak.

Concern for patients

Ian Cumming, chief executive of the trust, said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go out to the family of this lady who were with her when she died.

"Legionnaire's disease is a very serious condition with a high in-hospital mortality rate.

"Furness General Hospital continues to see a reduction in new cases, but as this tragic death shows, we are by no means through this terrible time."

Almost 2,000 people have now been tested for the disease.

With the number of new cases down sharply in recent days, officials are confident the outbreak has peaked.

On Saturday, police named the second person to die as Wendy Millburn, 56, of Walney, Barrow.

Mrs Millburn, a former school cook, leaves a husband, two adult children and two grandchildren.

The first person to die in the outbreak, on 2 August, was 88-year-old great-grandfather, Richard Macaulay.

Arts centre suspected

A 30-year-old air-conditioning system at the council-run Forum 28 arts centre was closed down on 1 August after being blamed as the source of the outbreak.

Tests on the system found traces of the legionnella bacteria, which causes the disease, in the water treatment plant.

A decision is due soon on whether the centre can definitely be blamed for the outbreak.

Barrow's tourist information centre which is located within Forum 28 will re-open on Wednesday.