Health board hunts for Legionnaires’ disease source as patient tests positive

A HOSPITAL which confirmed it is treating an elderly patient for Legionnaires’ disease says it will know by the end of next week if the potentially-fatal infection was contracted in-house or in the community.

The South Eastern Health Board confirmed that a patient in St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny has been diagnosed with the disease.

Tests have since been carried out in the man’s home and in his community as well as throughout the hospital to confirm the source of the infection.