Incidence and Management of Legionnaires' Disease in the UK

Overview of Legionnaires' Disease in the UK

In recent years, the incidence of Legionnaires' disease in the UK has shown an increase.

Notifiable Disease

Legionnaires' disease is classified as a Notifiable disease, requiring healthcare providers to report cases to Public Health England.

Latest Statistics

According to Public Health England:

• In 2019, there were 510 confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease in the UK, up from 403 cases in 2018.
• 65% of cases in 2019 were travel-associated.
• Domestically acquired cases in 2019 numbered 159.

Incidence Rate

The incidence rate of Legionnaires' disease in the UK was 0.84 cases per 100,000 population in 2019, up from 0.62 cases per 100,000 in 2018.

Legionella Outbreaks

While rare, 16 Legionella outbreaks were reported in the UK in 2019.

Legal Requirements

It remains a legal requirement for all UK employers to conduct Legionella risk assessments for their water systems.

Compliance Issues

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) survey in 2019:

• 35% of Legionella risk assessments conducted were deemed unsatisfactory.
• 14% of inspected cooling towers were found to be operated incorrectly.

Guidance and Regulations

The UK has established guidance documents and regulations to manage Legionella risks in water systems, though challenges in implementation persist.