Staff member at Wishaw Sports Centre confirmed to have Legionnaires’ Disease

Jun 8 2011 by Euan McLelland, Wishaw Press

Wishaw Sports Centre

A MEMBER of staff at Wishaw Sports Centre has been confirmed to have Legionnaires’ Disease.

The unnamed employee was hospitalised as news of the discovery of Legionella in the plumbing system at the popular North Lanarkshire Leisure facility broke last week.

However, the employee’s condition is thought to be in no way connected to the Legionella outbreak at Wishaw Sports Centre, according to council sources.

Instead, the member of staff is said to have caught the more severe strain of the disease that has affected nine people in the Glasgow outbreak of Legionnaires’ that has occurred during the last month.

A milder strain of the Legionella bacteria that causes the potentially deadly disease was discovered during routine tests in shower heads and taps in the dry side changing rooms at Wishaw Sports Centre a fortnight ago.

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Leisure – awaiting results of an investigation – was tightlipped when quizzed by the Wishaw Press this week, saying: “Investigations are ongoing and on the advice of the Health and Safety Executive the centre is open to the public.”

Wishaw Sports Centre was closed immediately on the Wednesday evening when the bacteria was detected. It remained shut all day Thursday as its water system was put through a “comprehensive cleaning process”.

The centre reopened on the Friday.

As yet there have been no reports of anyone being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease as a result of the Legionella discovered within the sports centre.

A spokesperson conceded that the staff member at Wishaw Sports Centre did not contract the bug from work, and has fallen victim to the recent Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak in Glasgow.

In the last month, the disease has affected nine people living within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Lanarkshire health board areas.

Three people have died from the disease.

Legionnaires’ is a form of pneumonia and carries the same symptoms as a normal flu.

The advice is that if you experience any symptoms then you should contact your GP.