Man dies and 15 in critical condition after Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Edinburgh

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Man dies and 15 in critical condition after Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Edinburgh

June 6th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Man in his 50s is deadly bug’s first victim
Further 15 aged between 33 and 74 in intensive care

By
Phil Vinter

PUBLISHED:

14:03 EST, 5 June 2012

|

UPDATED:

14:58 EST, 5 June 2012

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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.

Outbreak: A man in his fifties has died and 15 people are in a critical condition after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

Outbreak: A man in his fifties has died and 15 people are in a critical condition after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

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.

Deadly: A conceptual image of Legionella Pneumophila bacteria. The bacteria which causes Legionnaires Disease

FACTS ABOUT LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE

Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal lung infection caused by the bacteria legionella

The bacteria is commonly found in any freshwater areas but can sometimes find its way into artificial water supply systems

It is contracted when small droplets of contaminated water are breathed in but is not spread from person to person

The elderly, smokers, diabetes sufferers, those with kidney disease and cancer patients are more susceptible to the disease

Men are three times more likely to contract it than women

Symptoms of the disease include headaches, muscle pain, high fever, chills, a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pains and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea

About half of those who contract the disease experience changes to their mental state like confusion

Symptoms can start between two and 14 days after exposure

The disease is treated by intravenous antibiotics

Around 10% of people victims will die from arising complications

Large buildings such as hotels, hospitals and museums are more vulnerable to contamination because they have larger, more complex water supply systems, which can let the contamination spread quickly

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.

A map showing the location of the Legionnaires¿ disease outbreak

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.

Difficult to track: Bacteriology expert Professor Hugh Pennington said it can be hard to trace the source of a Legionnaires' outbreak

Difficult to track: Bacteriology expert Professor Hugh Pennington said it can be hard to trace the source of a Legionnaires’ outbreak

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.