Wednesday 26 November 2003 - News - Health and safety
Killer bug outbreak believed to be over
A Legionnaires' disease
outbreak which killed a man in his 70s and infected 25 other people
is not expected to claim any new victims, health officials said
today.
Herefordshire Primary Care Trust has identified the source of the bug as a cooling tower at cider giant H P Bulmer's site in Plough Lane. The Trust confirmed no new cases had been reported in the city overnight.
It believes that as the cooling tower was shut down two weeks ago, and as the disease normally takes between two and 14 days to incubate, new cases were unlikely.
Dr Mike Deakin, Herefordshire's Director of Public Health, said: "We do not expect any new people to develop Legionnaires' disease, although this does not mean that we will not find more cases as people who already have the disease might not go to their GP until some time after the symptoms develop.
"GPs and hospital staff are remaining on a heightened state of awareness of the possibility of the disease so we are continuing to test many more patients than is usual."
Six patients, two women and four men in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, remain in hospital in stable condition.
Johnny Thomson
Herefordshire Primary Care Trust has identified the source of the bug as a cooling tower at cider giant H P Bulmer's site in Plough Lane. The Trust confirmed no new cases had been reported in the city overnight.
It believes that as the cooling tower was shut down two weeks ago, and as the disease normally takes between two and 14 days to incubate, new cases were unlikely.
Dr Mike Deakin, Herefordshire's Director of Public Health, said: "We do not expect any new people to develop Legionnaires' disease, although this does not mean that we will not find more cases as people who already have the disease might not go to their GP until some time after the symptoms develop.
"GPs and hospital staff are remaining on a heightened state of awareness of the possibility of the disease so we are continuing to test many more patients than is usual."
Six patients, two women and four men in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, remain in hospital in stable condition.
Johnny Thomson
