Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak: Doctors can’t rule out further deaths

Doctors have warned further deaths from an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Edinburgh cannot be ruled out as the number of cases continues to rise.

One man, named as 56-year-old Robert Air, has already died from the disease. There are 24 confirmed cases and 37 suspected cases of the infection, with 12 people being treated in intensive care.

Dr Duncan McCormick, chairman of the incident management team at NHS Lothian, said: "We're hoping to see no further deaths. We're doing everything we can in terms of early diagnosis, appropriate treatment and intensive care, but I think we can't rule out any further deaths at this stage."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said NHS Lothian services were "busy but coping with the demands" of the outbreak amid fears the source may never be known.

A fresh round of chemical treatment is under way at cooling towers in the industrial area of the capital where the outbreak is concentrated.

She said: "I want to stress that, although these patients are being treated elsewhere, they are considered part of the south-west Edinburgh outbreak. They have had association with the affected area.

"People that are being admitted to hospital with the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease are generally at the moment less ill than had been the case earlier in the outbreak.

"We're seeing fewer people, by no means nobody, but fewer people who are admitted to hospital going into intensive care and we're seeing an increase in the numbers of people who are actually well enough to be treated in the community.

"Clearly, the numbers of confirmed and possible cases have continued to rise... This is not unexpected and we expect to see further cases over the next week.

"The incubation period for Legionnaires' disease can be up to two weeks, although it will more normally be in the region of five or six days."

Ms Sturgeon said it may not be possible to identify the source.

She added: "I would hope that over the next few days those investigations will start to deliver more specific answers on where the source of the outbreak might be."

NHS Lothian has begun delivering up to 15,000 leaflets to households in the affected area, designed to answer questions about the disease and provide helpline numbers.

People displaying symptoms of the disease are being asked if they have attended any large public gatherings such as Hearts' Scottish Cup victory parade last month and the Jubilee street parties this weekend. NHS Lothian said these were "routine questions" for investigating an outbreak and it does not have evidence to link the spread of the disease with either of these events.

More About Legionnaires' outbreak

Related articles

People who read this story also read