Legionnaires' disease

Women have been warned against using a type of heated birthing pool at home after a baby born in one was infected with Legionnaires' disease.

Public Health England (PHE) and NHS England are temporarily advising against the use of pools which have built-in heaters and recirculation pumps and can be filled up two weeks before the birth.

The warning comes after a baby born in the specific type of birthing pool at home was diagnosed with the Legionnaires' lung disease.

It is the first reported case of Legionnaires' disease linked to a birthing pool in England and has left the child in intensive care in hospital, PHE said.

The latest reports on the Edinburgh Legionnaires’ outbreak show that a person suspected of having the disease has died.

The individual, a man in his 60s from south west Edinburgh, had been unwell for a period of time, and is considered to be part of the original outbreak.

The Scottish Government have stressed that the outbreak has peaked.

The number of cases of Legionnaires' disease recorded in Edinburgh has risen to 95 - an increase of two since Thursday's most recent update. There are 48 confirmed cases and 47 suspected cases.

Two people have died since the first case was identified at the end of May and the authorities are continuing their investigations into the possible source of the outbreak.

The disease is contracted by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.

The Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has said that despite two new cases of Legionnaires' disease, there are still only seven people being treated in intensive care. That number is down from 15 last Sunday. She said:

Anyone concerned about the outbreak can get information from NHS Lothian's website (nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk) or the NHS24 Legionnaires' disease helpline on 08000 858 531.

Two new cases of Legionnaires' disease have been confirmed in an outbreak which has claimed two lives in the Edinburgh area of Scotland.

Both of the new cases are of people who have been ill for some time and who were originally among those suspected of having the disease, NHS Lothian said.

The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 44 and the number of suspected cases is still 47.

Five people are taking legal action over a Legionnaires' disease outbreak which has left two people dead.

The five, who are all understood to have contracted the disease, are seeking answers over what went wrong and have instructed law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Irwin Mitchell said they are receiving ongoing inquiries about the outbreak. Their clients include Terry Holleran, 55, who said he has instructed specialist illness lawyers at the firm to help him find out how the outbreak occurred and what can be done to prevent it from recurring.

"I would like to take this opportunity to again express my sincere sympathy to the friends and family of the patient who passed away yesterday. My thoughts are with them at this very difficult time.

"This is an extremely sad development. However, it is reassuring that the number of cases involved in the outbreak remains static and this is further evidence that the outbreak has reached its peak."

The improvement notice does not mean the National Museum of Scotland has been identified as the source of the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.

The museum can appeal against the notice within the next 21 days.

Two other organisations, pharmaceuticals firm Macfarlan Smith and the North British Distillery, have already been served with improvement notices.

These do not mean any of the cooling towers are the source of the outbreak.

The National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street, Edinburgh, is the third place to be served with an improvement notice by investigators.

The notice requires the museum to ensure that key staff members are appropriately trained in the management of water systems, which includes overseeing the ongoing monitoring and maintenance regime undertaken by specialist contractors.

An improvement notice has been served on a museum by health chiefs probing an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease which has left two people dead. Edinburgh City Council said the notice served on the National Museum of Scotland relates to staff training issues and not the operation of cooling towers.

On Thursday a second person died after catching Legionnaires' disease in the outbreak in Edinburgh.

The man, who had significant pre-existing underlying health conditions, died on Thursday evening in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Health chiefs said it appeared the outbreak has peaked, with figures remaining static. So far there have been 41 confirmed cases and 48 suspected cases in the outbreak in the south-west of the capital. The first man to die was named as Robert Air, 56, from the Seafield area of the city.