Two Legionella Deaths on Costa Blanca

Two British holidaymakers have died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease while on a Saga Holiday tour of the Costa Blanca.

A further four people, who were part of the same group that had checked into the Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe, were taken to Hospital, but one was discharged soon after.

A different party of five people were recently found to have contacted the disease on their return to the UK.

A spokesman for Saga told the press : “It was reported to us on Saturday January 14 that a customer who had stayed at the Diamante Beach Hotel in Spain was being treated for pneumonia caused by legionella.

“We immediately sent out a scientific expert to Spain and informed our guests there and offered to move them to a different hotel. We also contacted people who had stayed at the hotel in the previous month telling them to contact their doctor if they were experiencing flu-like symptoms.”

“Five people who had since returned to the UK had been to the doctors and were confirmed as having contracted legionella. Four were discharged and one is still in hospital in the UK and responding to treatment.

However, of the party currently in Spain five have been treated in Hospital; three are undergoing tests; and one has been discharged. One of the two men who died had previously shown no symptoms of being unwell.

The spokesman said the company has since moved all their guests to a new hotel after their expert conducted tests on water samples.