London (dpa) - One man has died from an outbreak of Legionnaire's
Disease in Scotland, and a further 21 cases of infection with the
deadly bacteria have been confirmed, the authorities in the capital
Edinburgh said Wednesday.
Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there were a further
19 suspected cases. Of the 21 patients infected with the disease, 12
are in intensive care.
The authorities said the man who died, in his 50s, had an
"underlying health problem."
The exact location of the source of the outbreak has not been
found, but the authorities said that 16 industrial cooling towers in
Edinburgh had been chemically treated to kill the bacteria.
Legionnaire's Disease, which has an incubation period of between
two and 14 days, is transmitted by bacteria commonly found in sources
of water.
It is contracted through the inhalation of water droplets or
vapour from aerosols, such as air-conditioning installations, but
cannot be transmitted through drinking water supplies.
Flu-like symptoms, together with diarrhoea, cough and confusion,
are commonly associated with the disease.
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