Wards closed as deadly bug found

Two wards at Scarborough Hospital have been closed

Traces of the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease have been found in the water supply at a North Yorkshire hospital.

Routine quality tests showed Legionella pneumophila was present in the water supplies to two of the older wards at Scarborough Hospital.

The Haldane and Duke of Kent wards were closed and patients moved elsewhere.

Inhalation of the bacterium can be deadly, especially in the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.

Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS trust, which runs the hospital, said there were no signs of any patients being infected.

Additional beds have been opened on other wards to accommodate the transferred patients.

The Legionella bacteria has to be inhaled to do harm to humans

The trust's Medical director, Dr Ian Holland, said: "As soon as the problem was identified we immediately took precautions, such as ceasing admission of patients with weakened immune systems, who are less able to fight infection.

"We have now been advised that, to fully resolve the problem with the water supply, we will need to re-plumb the affected areas.

"This is a significant task which will take several weeks, and cannot be undertaken whilst we have patients on the wards."

Haldane is a 21-bed ward for female medical patients. The Duke of Kent is a children's ward with 23 beds.

Legionella pneumophila cannot cause infection by being swallowed. It only poses a risk to humans through inhalation of moisture from water sources like whirlpool baths, showers, and air cooling systems contaminated with the bacterium.

Earlier this week the trust approved plans to axe 600 jobs - a third of its workforce - at its hospitals in Scarborough and Bridlington.