Two People Reportedly Suffered From O157 Strain Of Illness

Scottish illness lawyers representing victims affected by the major Legionnaires’ outbreak in Edinburgh earlier this year have revealed their concerns following reports that five cases of E.coli are being investigated in Orkney.

The local NHS trust has announced that the cases it is investigating are not expected to be linked as they have emerged in different areas, although two of the victims are believed to be suffering from the potentially deadly O157 strain of the illness.

Environmental health experts from the Orkney Islands Council are working with NHS Orkney to try and identify the potential source of the illness, while people living in the area have been urged to wash their hands regularly to prevent infection.

Irwin Mitchell has vast experience representing people who have suffered serious health problems as a result of illness outbreaks in the UK and abroad, with its teams currently seeking answers on behalf of victims and families affected by the Legionnaires’ outbreaks in both Stoke-on-Trent and Edinburgh in recent weeks.

Elaine Russell, a legal specialist at the firm’s Glasgow office who represents clients from the Edinburgh outbreak, said: “Through our work in recent weeks, we’ve seen first-hand how people’s lives can be turned upside down by serious illness, often leaving them frustrated and desperate for answers.

“E.coli, and the O157 strain in particular, can have a massive impact on sufferers of all ages and leave them with long-term health problems from which they never fully recover.

“It is vital that the NHS Trust and other environmental health authorities work quickly to assess the circumstances surrounding each of these cases, in an effort to form a full picture of these problems and potentially identify a source or sources which could be behind them.

“Ultimately, we hope that lessons can be learned which will go a significant way towards ensuring that the likelihood of further problems in the future can be significantly reduced.”