Legionnaires' Disease on the Rise in Scotland

Summary: 

61 people have been diagnosed of having Legionnaires’ disease in Edinburgh. Health officers have identified 16 industrial cooling towers in South-West Edinburgh as likely sources. By now, these towers have undergone a treatment as to kill off the bacteria.  According to the Scottish health secretary the number of people in critical condition remain stable, even though the numbers rise. The given antibiotic treatment is successful and people are informed and reassured via leaflets of the low risk of contamination.  A leading bacteriologist believes that the outbreak could have been prevented. Legal action has not been ruled out.

Commentary: 

Disease outbreaks are no ‘acts of God’ but mostly the result of human failure and their intervention with the normal course of nature. Despite our technological advancement, nature can still have the upper hand.  I even fear the common flu, for it is always evolving and can result in very dangerous strains. This Legionnaires’ disease sounds a bit more exotic than the ordinary flu and can alarm people rather easily. It is good to hear that the authorities have taken the trouble of informing the people.  It is not a contagious disease, but it can do serious harm if it is not diagnosed and treated in an early stage.  

The information was retrieved on June 7^th 2012 from the Guardian website http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jun/07/legionnaires-disease-cases-rise-scotland,
the article ‘Legionnaires' disease cases rise’ by Severin Carrell