International   

Britain on health alert amid fears of epidemic

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON Aug. 3. Britain was on a health alert today following what is suspected to be one of the worst outbreaks of legionnaires' disease which starts with flu-like symptoms and can kill one out of every seven patients.

Within hours of the first case being reported from the northern England town of Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, one man has already died and more than 50 suspected cases are being treated. Some were reported to be serious.

Panic spread through the town as people were asked to stay away from a community centre in the heart of town, believed to be the source of the infection. As thousands of people who may have passed through the area were feared to be at risk, the standard medical advice was that anyone with breathing problems, high fever or severe cough should consult a doctor.

Experts warned that if even 100 cases were reported, Britain could be wrestling with the world's biggest outbreak of legionnaires disease which takes its name from an epidemic which hit the Pennsylvania State Legionnaires' Convention in 1976 killing 29 people. It is caused by a bacteria found in air-conditioning plants , ponds and water heating and cooling systems and has a long incubation period so that it could take up to ten days before it is diagnosed and sometimes it can be confused with pneumonia because of identical symptoms.

The weak and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, and humid weather conditions such as those prevailing in parts of Britain currently help the bacteria to `flourish'. But the disease is not communicable. Hospitals in the area prepared to cope with new cases as doctors warned that people could be carrying the infection without being aware of it.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• U.S. dismisses Baghdad's offer
• Release names of detainees, says U.S. judge
• Britain on health alert amid fears of epidemic
• U.S. offers Manila aid to fight Abu Sayyaf
• Demand for Islamic law
• India, Pak. must resume talks, says French Minister
• Indian bid along LoC foiled: Pak.
• The 'Indian hot list' in Britain
• Chen calls for referendum
• Rights groups apologise for 1971 excesses
• Bush to meet Jiang
• Nawaz Sharif's brother elected party chief

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu