mobirise.com

2014

NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM 2014

  • 14th January 2014

    Southampton Primary School

    A Southampton school has closed after bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' disease was found in its water system.
    Mason Moor Primary School in Helvellyn Road, Millbrook, closed on Friday so the water system could be disinfected. It should reopen on Thursday.
    In a letter to parents, the school said said children were at low risk of infection, and parents should not be "unduly concerned".
    The disease is caused by Legionella bacteria once it becomes airborne.

    Read more on the BBC website

  •  April 2014

    Release of HSG274 Part 2

    Along with the improvements in ACoP L8 in general, the technical guidance has been extracted from the document and placed into three separate documents:
    HSG274 Part 1 : The control of legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling systems
    HSG274 Part 2 : The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water systems
    HSG274 Part 3: The control of legionella bacteria in other risk systems
    This is the release of part 2, which took longer to release due to the many reviews of the documentation

    Download your copies from the HSE website

  • 17th June 2014

    Birthing Pools

    Expectant mothers have been warned not to use certain types of heated birthing pools at home after a baby born in one acquired legionnaires' disease.
    Public Health England and NHS England issued the warning for pools which have built-in heaters and recirculation pumps and can be filled with water two weeks in advance of the birth.
    The alert comes after a case of legionnaires' lung disease was identified in a baby born in a home birth in one of the pools. Water samples confirmed the presence of legionella bacteria.
    The child is now in intensive care in hospital. It has been the first reported case of legionnaires' disease linked to a birthing pool in England, PHE said.
    Experts are working to establish whether or not the bacteria from the tested home pool is the same strain as that which infected the baby.

    Read more on the Guardian website

  • 1st July 2014

    Home Birthing Pools

    Hired home-birthing pools across the country have been recalled and hire companies put under scrutiny after a baby born using one of the heated pools developed legionnaires' disease.
    The NHS and Public Health England (PHE) have banned certain types of home-birthing pools until further notice, after the child – who remains in hospital with severe pneumonia – became unwell.
    Heated pools from the supplier have been recalled, with at least six other companies – hiring out 60-70 pools – being questioned by PHE on their safety precautions. PHE said it was "unclear" whether or not the companies had carried out legionella risk assessments.


    Read more on the Guardian website

  • 8th July 2014

    Leicester General Hospital

    Patients on two wards at Leicester General Hospital have been stopped from taking showers after Legionella bacteria was found in its water system.
    University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) said bottled water was also being provided to people on wards 28 and 29.
    The hospital added there were "no known cases of infection" linked to the water supply and the "measures taken are precautionary".
    The bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease, which causes severe pneumonia.

    Read more on the BBC website

  • 6th August 2014

    Grimsby Outbreak

    Four confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease in the Grimsby area are being investigated by health officials.
    Public Health England (PHE) said no common links have been identified between the infected people.
    Dr Simon Padfield, from PHE in Humberside, said "all four patients are currently recovering".
    Legionnaires' disease is a rare form of pneumonia that is transmitted by inhaling contaminated water droplets, with up to 15% of cases proving fatal.
    Legionnaires' disease symptoms
    Aching muscles
    Tiredness
    Headaches
    Dry cough
    Breathlessness
    Fever

    Dr Padfield said the outbreak was first identified on 27 July but no source had yet been confirmed.
    "Family doctors in the area have been contacted to ask them to be vigilant for patients with symptoms of Legionnaires' disease," said Dr Padfield.

    Read more on the BBC website

2015