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Exclusive: Legionella bug found at Leeds hospital
Bosses at Leeds children's hospital are tackling an outbreak of the bacteria that causes the potentially deadly Legionnaire's Disease.
Builders working on the new unit at Leeds General Infirmary led to the discovery of the legionella bug in the water system.
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Managers are now carrying out urgent work to contain the bacteria, which is in pipework at the Clarendon Wing – which also houses the maternity unit.
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Health chiefs stress that no patient has contracted the illness and that the hospital will continue to function normally.
A spokesman for Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust told the YEP: "The trust routinely carries out tests on water supplies in all our hospital buildings on a regular basis.
"Recent testing in the Clarendon Wing has identified higher than normal levels of legionella bacteria in some new pipework in a small part of the wing.
"Levels do vary from time to time in all large buildings. There is an established method of dealing with such changes using a range of remedial and preventative measures.
"This work is being carried out at the moment and we are closely monitoring the results.
"In the meantime, patient care is not affected and all parts of the building are continuing to function normally."
Following an outbreak of the bacteria at LGI in 2000, up to six patients contracted Legionnaire's Disease. The source of the infection was traced back to the hospital's cooling system, housed in the newly-built Jubilee Wing. None of those affected in 2000 died.
Legionnaire's kills one in every 10 people who contract it. It is water-borne and cannot be spread by person-to-person contact.
Symptoms include a cough, fever, sweats, shivers, being off food and feeling generally unwell. They tend to develop quickly and can become pneumonia-like.
Sufferers are usually hospitalised and treated with intensive antibiotics.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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