§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department was first informed of the outbreak of legionnaire's disease in Stafford; when they were informed that the hospital's own water system was the suspected source; and when he wrote to other hospital authorities to warn them to make checks of their own.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe were first informed that cases of legionnaire's disease had been positively identified in Stafford on 3 May. On the evening of 4 May we were informed that one possible source of the outbreak was the Stafford district general hospital's own water system. We sent out letters reminding district health authorities about the Department's existing guidance on reducing the chances of an outbreak occurring on 8 and 9 May.