Friday, March 29, 2024
NewsScottish NewsTories slam lack of Legionnaires' advice

Tories slam lack of Legionnaires’ advice

THE Scottish Conservatives have called on both NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government to provide significantly clearer information on the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Edinburgh.

As it stands one man has died, 17 have been confirmed as having the disease, and there are a further 15 suspected cases.

This morning, the health board said they expected the numbers to rise as the weekend approaches.

However, while cooling towers in the south-west of the city have been identified as a possible source, no information has been given on who the people are who have contracted the potentially fatal illness, or why they were affected.

Scottish Conservative Health Spokesman and Deputy Leader Jackson Carlaw said: “On the one hand you have NHS Lothian saying people in the Gorgie, Dalry and Saughton areas are at low-risk, but more than 30 people are in hospital as a result with that number set to rise.

“One person has died and several are critically ill; this is a serious situation and, as the numbers show, there clearly is a risk factor.

“It’s all very well telling people not to worry and listing some categories of people who may be at increased risk, but this does nothing to inform the people in that area who need to know now.

“They need to know who has been affected and why. That is the only way they can make their own informed choice on what to do.

“This health board should know better than anyone given recent events the importance of clear and concise information.

“This outbreak was detected at the weekend, it is now Wednesday, and thousands are still waiting for clear advice.”

 

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