The Feathers: Ludlow hotel hit by Legionnaires' outbreak could reopen next month
A hotel closed due to an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease which led to a death of a woman guest could be back open on November 13 – exactly two months after it was closed.
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.
Staff at the hotel posted on Facebook saying that Environmental Health will be taking more water samples on October 30 and if they are clear the hotel can reopen on November 13.
The post says: “Just thought we would like to update all our followers as to where we are at following the temporary closure of the hotel.
“We have undertaken loads to work with the water system and we can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
“The Environmental Health is planning to take more water samples on October 30 and we then have to wait, with baited breath, for the results.
“When they come back clear we are free to re-open, this we are hoping will be November 13. All will be welcome to join us on that day.”
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.
