Legionnaire’s Disease cases investigated by health department

A number of cases of Legionnaire’s Disease are being investigated by a health protection unit.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed it had recently recorded three cases of legionella at different hospitals.

The health board said two of those affected had recovered and were discharged while the third patient remains in a “stabled condition” in hospital.

It has instructed its public health protection unit to investigate the rise in the cases, while it said it is also working alongside Health Protection Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive regarding the cases of the potentially deadly disease.

Dr Gillian Penrice, the health board’s consultant in public health, said: “There are always a small number of cases of Legionnaire’s Disease in the community every year, however this rise in the number of cases so close together is unusual.

“As a result we have begun an investigation to examine if there is any potential common source or whether these cases are coincidental, albeit unusual. We are working closely with our partners in local authority authorities, the Health and Safety Executive and Health Protection Scotland.

“It is important to remember that legionella cannot be spread from person to person. It is an uncommon bacterial infection. Legionella bacteria is sometimes found in water and can be spread through aerosols produced from water, such as air conditioning and showers and it cannot be contracted by drinking contaminated water.

“The symptoms and signs of Legionnaires’ Disease include headache, fever, dry cough, breathing difficulties, stomach pains and diarrhoea.”

The health board is advising anyone experiencing these symptoms to contact their GP or phone NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.

Last year three men died in a Legionnaire’s outbreak in Edinburgh, which began in May and was declared over in July. According to health protection officials, 101 people were treated for confirmed or suspected cases of the disease.

A cooling tower in the city was thought to have been the source of the outbreak.

Source STV News