Legionnaires' claims second victim
Key points
- A second person has died from Legionnaires' disease in Barrow, hospital authorities confirmed on Friday.
- There are now 94 people being treated for confirmed or suspected Legionnaires' disease.
- Furness General Hospital, Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Westmorland General Hospital, have cancelled all non-urgent surgery this week.
- Initial inspections have suggested it may have been poorly maintained and not properly disinfected.
A second person has died from Legionnaires' disease in Barrow, hospital authorities confirmed on Friday.
The news of the woman's death comes just hours after health bosses said the number of new cases in the outbreak had peaked.
The woman, who was 56, died in the early hours of the morning. She has not been named.
Ian Cumming, the chief executive of the Morecambe Bay Hospitals Trust, said his thoughts and deepest sympathy went out to the woman's family.
Outbreak
There are now 94 people being treated for confirmed or suspected Legionnaires' disease.
Fifteen patients were in intensive care units across the north west with a further six in high dependency wards. Two are giving doctors cause for concern.
Health officials in Lincolnshire are investigating two cases of Legionnaires' disease.
One of these is thought to be linked to the Cumbrian outbreak.
Each year there are sporadic cases of the disease and health officials in Lincolnshire said they are noticing nothing unusual.
"Obviously we are hoping we do not see any more deaths but it is too soon to be complacent"
Ian Cumming
Mr Cumming said he hoped there would be no further deaths following the Barrow outbreak, but said this could not be ruled out.
"It is a very nasty disease and people tend to deteriorate very quickly.
"Obviously we are hoping we do not see any more deaths but it is too soon to be complacent."
Earlier this week police named the man thought to be the first victim of the outbreak as Richard Macauley, known locally as Gerry.
An inquest into 88-year-old Mr Macaulay's death was opened and adjourned on Tuesday by Furness deputy coroner Alan Sharpe.
However, it appears his death may not be linked to the current outbreak. Mr Macauley lived in a nursing home and had not been near the civic centre recently.
The incubation period for Legionnaires' disease is between five and 10 days. It cannot be passed from one person to another.
A week after the start of the bug's biggest UK outbreak in a decade, 110 people have now been confirmed as having the disease.
A total of 72 remain in hospital and 15 are being treated at home.
Doctors say 19 patients are "poorly but stable" and five are giving cause for concern.
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
