A warning has been issued to people who own hot tubs following a spike in cases of a potentially fatal disease. Over the past 12 months there has been an increase in the number of confirmed Legionnaires’ disease cases reported by Public Health Wales, with some cases associated with hot tubs and spa-pools.
The disease is a lung infection people can catch by inhaling droplets of water from things like air conditioning or hot tubs. It is usually caught in places like hotels, hospitals or offices where the bacteria has got into the water supply. It is a rare but potentially life-threatening infection where death occur in approximately 10-15% of otherwise healthy individuals.
You can also inhale the bacteria from other sources of water like showers, taps and toilets. Symptoms include a ‘flu-like’ illness with a rapid fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, loss of appetite, breathlessness and chest pain. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.
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The popularity of hot tubs and spa polls has increased in recent years, and one Welsh council has warned people of the importance of following guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Ceredigion Council is specifically warning people who rent out a property, whether through and agent, Airbnb or directly through a renter, then they are classed as running a a commercial or business activity. If the letting has a hot tub or spa, then the owner has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure that they have assessed the risks posed by chemical and biological hazards, including legionella. They must then introduce suitable control measures.
A spokeswoman for the council said: "Ceredigion County Council is supporting those who operate hot tubs and spa-pools by sharing the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance to control the health & safety risks associated with hot tubs/spa pools. Over the last 12 months, there has been a spike of Legionnaires’ disease cases reported by Public Health Wales with some cases associated with hot tubs and spa-pools.
“These settings should have a risk assessment in place, where the risks have been identified and control measure put in place. These control measures will include chemical treatment of the water, cleaning and water sampling. A sampling visit may be carried out over the summer months to some commercial businesses that have a hot tub or spa-pool as part of a routine inspection to assess the premises against the current guidelines.”
Councillor Matthew Vaux, the council’s cabinet member for public protection, added: “It’s very important for business owners who have a rental property with a hot tub or spa-pool to follow the guidance provided by the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that they comply with their legal duties under health and safety legislation.”
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