Legionnaires' hunt focuses on factory

Cooling systems are being checked for a disease source

Health officials are testing water samples from a chemical factory to see if it is connected to a Legionnaires' Disease outbreak.

A man in his 50s from Oldbury, West Midlands, died in hospital of the disease on Sunday and six others have been taken ill.

Samples have been taken from 20 cooling towers and air conditioning units at Rhodia Consumer Specialities in Oldbury after it emerged two of the seven people infected work there.

The West Midlands cases come only three weeks after Britain's biggest-ever outbreak, in Cumbria, in which four people died.

John Scott: Tests being carried out

John Scott, Rhodia Operations Director, said he had no reason to believe the plant was the source of the outbreak.

But he added: "We cannot rule the possibility out and naturally if it is proven to be something to do with our operations we will be extremely upset and, frankly, devastated."

He said the firm was increasing its treatment regime to make doubly sure there were no problems.

Legionnaires' Disease is not contagious and there is no link between the Cumbria and West Midlands outbreaks.

I just didn't know where I was, I was delirious

Margaret Willetts

The cooling systems of about 40 buildings in the Oldbury area were checked as potential sources.

Hospital staff are re-examining records for people admitted with chest problems, to see if they actually had Legionnaires'.

Rhodia has passed data from all its regular bacterial inspections to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Its officials have visited the plant three times since the Legionnaires' outbreak was revealed last Friday.

One of those being treated for the disease works at the plant full-time, while another, from Cannock in Staffordshire, works there part of the week and visits regularly as a tanker driver.

Apart from the man who died, those infected include two men and four women. Four of them are still in hospital.

Legionnaires' disease

Rare form of pneumonia

Symptoms - fever and persistent cough

Fatal in 5% to 15% of cases

Most common in older adults

First known outbreak in 1976

Margaret Willetts, from Oldbury, left hospital for the first time on Sunday, a week after falling ill.

She told the BBC: "I just didn't know where I was, I was delirious. I can't think how I would have got it or where I might have walked to pick it up."

Last week two people in Bedfordshire - one in Luton and the other in Biggleswade - were treated in hospital after developing the disease, which is contracted by inhaling water vapour.

A national helpline has been set up for people who fear they may be suffering symptoms of the disease, which include a fever and cough.

The helpline number is 0800 7830520.