Professional body warns of rise in Legionnaires’ cases as outbreak claims grandmother of four

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has issued a warning on the growing number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease, in the wake of the death of Elaine Brown, a 69 year-old grandmother of four, from Liverpool.

Mrs Brown died in August, following a fatal stroke triggered by Legionnaires’ disease (LD). She had contracted the illness while staying at The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow, Shropshire. It has now come to light that another guest, a woman in her 70’s, had also contracted LD from the same establishment back in April. It is estimated some 10% of those contracting LD die from related complications.