Legionnaires' disease outbreak claims first life
A man who was among seven people infected in a fresh outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease died today, health officials said.
He died at Sandwell General Hospital in the West Midlands, said a spokeswoman for Sandwell Health Authority.
“We can confirm that this man was receiving treatment, but his condition deteriorated through the night and unfortunately he died at 5am this morning,” she added.
The man who died was in his 50s and from the Halesowen area of the West Midlands.
He was admitted to hospital yesterday along with a second man, in his 50s, from Oldbury, who was said to be recovering well.
Lorene Read, acting chief executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It is my sad duty to confirm that during the course of last night, the condition of the gentleman whose condition was described yesterday as serious, deteriorated, and sadly this morning he has passed away at Sandwell General Hospital.
“His family was at his bedside.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this distressing time. No further details about the patient can be released at this stage.”
Ms Read said that of two women in their 40s and 50s also admitted to Sandwell with Legionnaires’, one was expected to be sent home today after making a successful recovery.
The remaining woman continued to respond well to treatment, she said.
A third woman was also recovering well at City Hospital, from which a fourth woman had already been discharged.
A seventh patient, a 63-year-old man, was recovering in Staffordshire General Hospital.
Ms Read added: “We would like to reassure members of the public that the hospital’s practice in any case where patients are showing symptoms which could be associated with Legionnaires’ disease is that the relevant antibiotic treatment is given immediately, rather than waiting for test results.
“This was standard practice even before this outbreak.”
Ms Read stressed that people could not pass Legionnaires’ disease to each other and that there was no risk to anyone visiting the hospitals were the patients are being treated.
“Anyone with an outpatient appointment or surgery planned for the coming week should still attend the hospital,” she said.
