Legionnaires outbreak

Police seal off the Forum 28 leisure centre in Barrow

The outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Barrow-in-Furness looks like being the biggest ever in Britian.

Public health officials in the North West fear 100 or more cases will eventually be diagnosed.

One 89-year-old man has died so far and another five people are giving cause for concern in intensive care.

The outbreak seems almost certain to have begun at a council-run Leisure Centre and theatre complex called Forum 28.

Tests to confirm the exact source will not be completed until the middle of next week.

Breakfast spoke to the leader of Barrow in Furness Council, Terry Waiting, this morning.

He told us that the air-conditioning at the complex had been shut down on Thursday afternoon, because it had been emitting steam into the street.

While people inside the building won't necessarily be at risk, people passing Forum 28 may have ben exposed.

The leisure complex is in the centre of Barrow-in-Furness, near a shopping centre.

Details

A total of 19 cases have so far been confirmed and another 36 people are being treated on the assumption that they too are infected.

If the source is a leisure centre, there will be lots of people coming and going, lots of people infected

Professor Hugh Pennington
Micro-biologist

At Furness General Hospital extra medical supplies are being brought in to deal with the rising number of cases.

And as intensive care beds fill up other patients could be transferred to other hospitals in Cumbria.

Ian Cumming, chief executive of Morecambe Bay Trust, said routine operations had been cancelled because of the outbreak, but the hospital was coping.

'Worrying'

"But we may have to call on other local hospitals to help," he added.

Those confirmed with Legionnaires' disease vary in age from 47 years old to 89.

It is expected the number of cases will eventually rise to more than 100.

A number of those affected could have now left Cumbria.

Officials are saying anybody who visited the Barrow area from 1 July onwards could be at risk.

Professor Hugh Pennington, the leading micro-biologist at Aberdeen University, said it was an extremely worrying situation.

"If the source is a leisure centre, there will be lots of people coming and going, lots of people infected.

'Don't panic'

"It is too early to say how many as the incubation period can be as long as 10 days."

Dr Nigel Calvert, who is in charge of the investigation, told people not to panic and to contact their GPs if they were worried.

"With early treatment the outcome is very positive indeed," he said.

The outbreak is the largest in the UK for a decade, and is potentially one of the biggest ever recorded world-wide.

Most of those who have so far contracted the disease come from Barrow and all had recently been in the centre of the town. This includes one person from Burnley who had been visiting.

Key disease facts

Legionnaires' is a form of pneumonia

It is caused by bacteria in water systems, like cooling towers

It cannot be passed by one person to another

It is fatal in 5% to 15% of cases

In 1998, 226 cases were reported in England and Wales. Twenty-five people died

A major incident team has been set up to handle the outbreak, with Morecambe Bay NHS Trust on alert to deal with more cases.

Mr Cumming said more deaths from the disease were very likely.

Experts fear the final toll could reach 20.

Initially, patients at the hospital had been diagnosed with pneumonia but when the number of cases rose significantly above normal levels medical staff became suspicious.

Test results received on Friday morning confirmed Legionnaires'.

Legionnaire's cannot be passed on from one person to another.

The disease is caused by the Legionella bacterium, and is often spread through colonised air conditioning units.