The Feathers: Ludlow hotel hit by Legionnaires' outbreak still shut
A hotel closed due to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease which led to a death of a woman guest remains shut.
The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow was temporarily closed last month as a precautionary measure after advice from Public Health England (PHE) in the West Midlands and Shropshire Council.
No date has yet been set for the reopening.
A date could be set for the reopening of the hotel once samples come back clear.
Staff at the hotel posted on Facebook when it closed saying they expected it to reopen by October 10, but the doors remain shut.
Last month laboratory test results established links between Legionella bacteria found in water samples from the hotel plumbing and two separate confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in guests, both from Merseyside, who stayed at the hotel.
The first case was diagnosed in April 2017 and has recovered.
The most recently diagnosed guest, a woman in her late 60s who stayed at the hotel in July, died.
Dr Nic Coetzee, consultant with PHE West Midlands Health Protection Team, said: “As the hotel has some old buildings and a complex water system, the management decided to close temporarily to minimise risk to the public while they conduct extensive remedial work.
“Environmental health officers at Shropshire Council have continued to take water samples from the hotel during this time.
“Once work is complete further samples will be taken and, if these results are satisfactory, the hotel will be able to set a date to reopen.”
Early symptoms of the disease include a ‘flu-like’ illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever which can then lead to pneumonia.
The bacteria is widely distributed in the environment and can be found in hot and cold water systems and in forms of industrial and commercial water cooling systems.
The hotel was built in 1619 and is known as of Ludlow’s best known listed buildings.
The Facebook post said:Staff at the hotel posted on Facebook when it closed saying they expected it to reopen by October 10. The post adds: “We decided that it is best to close the hotel temporarily to enable us to complete the works as quickly and safely as possible.
“We expect to reopen as soon as the new plumbing is tested and approved.”
