Health chiefs reassure West Fifers over Legionnaire's outbreak

Published 6 Jun 2012 15:30 1 Comment

NHS Fife have moved to reassure West Fifers that there is no danger to public health following the recent outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Edinburgh.

One man has died and NHS Lothian are currently dealing with 17 confirmed cases of the disease, with another 15 suspected.

NHS Fife's director of public health, Dr Eddie Coyle, said, "Legionnaires' disease is a relatively rare condition that affects only a small proportion of the people who are exposed to the organism.

"The disease does not spread from person to person. NHS Fife and Fife Council have contingency plans in place to manage an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease."

Several water cooling towers in the south-west of Edinburgh have been identified as a potential source of the latest outbreak but the results of tests on the towers may not be available for days.

The last outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Fife was recorded in 2005 and since then there have been only sporadic cases or cases related to other health board outbreaks.

Symptoms of the disease can include high temperature, cough, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and pneumonia.

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  FifePatients
  15 posts
  Jun 6, 22:00
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  We feel reassured now. Thanks. But how about the bed-blocking deaths? www.fifepatients.com
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

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