One dead after Legionella outbreak at hotel

One person has died after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at a hotel.

The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow has closed temporarily after advice from health professionals from Public Health England (PHE) in the West Midlands and Shropshire Council.

Two guests of the hotel contracted the disease. The first case was diagnosed in April 2017 and has recovered but another individual, who stayed at the hotel in July, has died.

The closure follows tests that linked water samples from the hotel plumbing and the two confirmed cases.

Dr David Kirrage, consultant with PHE West Midlands Health Protection Team, said:

Councillor Lee Chapman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing said:

The hotel is writing to guests who stayed at the hotel in the last two weeks to advise them to make contact if they have experienced any symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease.

Legionnaires’ disease is a rare but potentially life threatening illness. Early symptoms include a ‘flu-like’ illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever which can then lead to pneumonia.