Legionnaires disease outbreak in Edinburgh

[scottish]

The outbreak of the killer Legionnaires’ disease in Edinburgh last night escalated after claiming its first victim.
A male patient in his mid 50s - who was being treated for the deadly bug - died in the city’s Royal Infirmary.
At the same time as his death was confirmed, health chiefs revealed that 14 men and two women were now in a critical condition with the disease.

All are said to be aged between 33 and 74 and remain in intensive care in hospitals across Lothian.
NHS Lothian said that the scale of the outbreak had escalated dramatically in the last 24 hours.
Some 17 cases have now been confirmed while the number of suspected patients suffering from Legionnaires’ have risen also to 15 – involving 10 men and five women.
Only one man had, so far, recovered and since been discharged from hospital following treatment.

Last night the man leading the investigation into this latest outbreak offered his sympathies to the victim’s family.
Dr Duncan McCormick, a consultant in public health medicine and chair of the incident management team, said: 'I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family of the patient who died.
'Investigations into the possible source of this outbreak are on-going.
'Meanwhile medical staff have been actively identifying possible causes to allow us to ascertain the full extent of this outbreak'
He went on to try and allay the public’s fears that the disease may have affected public water supplies in the south west areas of Edinburgh.

Dr McCormick commented: “I would like to reassure the public that household water supplies are safe and that Legionnaires’ disease cannot be contracted by drinking water.
The majority of the confirmed cases have been linked geographically to the Dalry, Gorgie and Saughton areas.
The health expert warned those at greater risk from contracting the disease were “older people, particularly men, heavy smokers and those with other health conditions”
He added: “I would urge anyone who develops symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease to contact NHS 24 or their GP.
The first case was identified on Thursday, May 28, and since then the numbers involved has grown steadily.
Experts explained that the symptoms can begin anytime from between two to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria.
Legionella bacteria can sometimes find their way into artificial water supply systems, such as air conditioning, hot water services as well as cooling towers.
Given the right conditions, it can contaminate these water systems.
It is contracted by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.
But medical experts stress that the condition is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person nor through drinking water.
Victims often experience mild headaches and muscle pain during the initial phase, leading on to high fever and more severe muscle discomfort and chills.

Once it has infected your lungs, people will also suffer a persistent cough and the coughing up of mucus or possibly blood followed by chest pains.
Around half of those with the disease run the risk of changes to their mental state, such as confusion.

Last night investigations into the other cases and possible links with the area were on-going.
The source of the outbreak continues to be examined by officials from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Environmental Health Service and Scientific Service and the Health and Safety Executive.
Industrial cooling towers have been also identified as a potential source of the infection and the cooling systems at four facilities in the area have been subject to an additional chemical treatment.
Further inspections of these facilities will now be carried out by the Environmental Health Service, Scientific Service and the Health and Safety Executive over the coming days to ensure control measures continue to be effective.
Samples have been taken from these four facilities but legionella remained a difficult bacteria to culture - and it could take up to ten days before results of the samples are available.
Other possible sources are not being ruled out.
The first case was identified late last month on Thursday, May 28.
However the symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can begin anytime from between 2-14 days after exposure to the bacteria.

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Killed a 50 year old and 16 others are in critical condition.

[lawrawrrr]

o dear... so glad im so much south of edinburgh. let's just hope it doesn't spread over more of the UK!

[MKR&*42]

Just be glad it can't be spread via person to person contact. How scary though, hope they find the source quickly... I'm sure it was a lot less infected the other day (hardly surprising). R.I.P to the one who died though