Three new cases of Legionnaires'

Legionnaires' disease is spread by water droplets

Three new cases of Legionnaires' disease linked to an outbreak in Hereford have been confirmed, bringing the total number of infected patients to 15.

Health officials said the increase in cases on Friday over a 24-hour period was "consistent with the incubation period of this infection".

They added that it also reassured them that the heightened state of awareness among local GPs and hospital staff was helping to diagnose and treat cases quickly.

The latest cases are a woman aged in her 90s and two men in their 60s and 70s.

Raised suspicions

Vigorous efforts to identify the source of the outbreak continue across the Hereford region with investigations centred on a cooling tower at a Bulmers' cider plant in the city.

Initial tests raised the suspicions of health officials hunting for the source of the outbreak.

Bulmers said there was no direct evidence linking the outbreak to the company and added there was no risk to the public from drinking its products.

Condition check on the victims

The man who died as a result of contracting Legionnaires' was in his 70s and from Hereford.

We would remind everyone that Legionnaires' disease cannot be passed from person to person and it is safe to visit Hereford Dr Mike Deakin County public health director

Herefordshire Council said more tests were being carried out to try to find out whether the Legionella bug was present at Bulmers.

But it said that, even if Legionella was confirmed, it did not necessarily link Bulmers to the current outbreak.

'Potential source'

Dr Mike Deakin, county public health director said: "The possible identification of a potential source does not change our approach.

"Investigations will continue and our advice to people in Herefordshire does not change.

"We would remind everyone that Legionnaires' disease cannot be passed from person to person and it is safe to visit Hereford."

Bulmers said it was co-operating fully with the task force investigating the outbreak in Hereford.

The firm said an evaporation unit had been closed as a result of the samples taken from the cooling tower.

It said this was only a precautionary measure.