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A woman has died and another has fallen ill, following an outbreak of Legionnaires disease at the Feathers Hotel in Ludlow, Shropshire.
The hotel has closed temporarily after taking advice from Public Health England (PHE) in the West Midlands and Shropshire Council.
Laboratory tests from the hotel showed links between the legionella bacteria found in the water samples and the two guests who stayed there.
The first guest, a woman in her 70s, was diagnosed in April this year and has since recovered.
The second guest, a woman in her 60s who stayed at the hotel in July, is understood to have died mid-August. Both guests were from Merseyside.
The hotel is currently writing to guests who have stayed in the last two weeks to contact them if they have experienced any symptoms of the disease.
Dr David Kirrage, consultant with PHE West Midlands Health Protection Team, said as soon as soon as the legionella bacteria was identified, the hotel’s affected rooms were closed and the water system disinfected.
The hotel will remain closed as work is carried out.
Kirrage said: “Results from PHE laboratories on Monday 11 September 2017 confirmed that the strain of legionella located in the hotel is indistinguishable from the samples taken from the two cases.
“Extensive work is now needed to overhaul and treat the plumbing in such an old building, so that guests can fully enjoy the facilities.”
