Legionnaires’ total in south Wales rises to 19 cases

Two more cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been identified as part of an outbreak in south Wales, which is linked to two deaths.

All 19 cases have required hospital treatment and some remain seriously ill.

Public health experts believe the source is in the Merthyr, Rhymney or Blaenau Gwent areas.

Safety officials have checked all registered cooling towers in the area being investigated.

Giving its latest daily update on the outbreak Public Health Wales (PHW) said there were four cases of Legionnaires’ disease possibly linked to the outbreak.

These cases remain under investigation.

Two of the four people have died. A 70-year-old man died in hospital on 8 September, and a 64-year-old woman died in hospital on 6 September.

Meanwhile a team of more than 100 staff from 10 agencies have been working to find the source of the outbreak.

Health officals said information had been gathered on those with the disease to identify where they had been at times when they may have caught the infection.

After it became evident that there was no single building visited by all the people linked to the outbreak, the investigation focused on checking systems with the potential to spread legionella