Confirmed Case of Legionnaires disease in Plymouth

A case of legionnaire’s disease has found in Plymouth
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It is not currently known how the person who is in Derriford hospital contracted the disease.

Public Health England and Plymouth City Council are currently investigating how the patient caught the lung infection which is contracted through water infected with naturally occurring legionella bacteria.

The disease is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person.

In a statement Public Health England said it appeared to be a "single and isolated case".

"As is normal practice, the family of the affected person have been asked a set of questions to try to identify a possible source of the infection."

The disease is relatively rare - in 2010 there were 359 reported cases in England and Wales, resulting in 38 deaths.

In the most cases those infected will make a full recovery but in a small minority it can lead to life long complications.