Health experts in Shropshire were today trying to trace the source of an outbreak of the potentially fatal Legionnaires’ Disease.

Two people from the Whitchurch area – a man and woman who are not thought to be related – have been struck down with the infection. Both are aged over 60. The man is being treated in hospital, while the woman is recovering at home.

The cases are being investigated by public and environmental health experts from the Health Protection Agency, Shropshire Council and Shropshire County Primary Care Trust.

Dr Rob Carr, of the HPA, said an investigation to trace the source was likely to continue “over the next week or two”.

He said: “So far we have not come up with anything to cause us concern or any plausible source of common infection.”

Dr Carr said one of the people struck down with the disease fell ill about three weeks ago, and the other about a week ago.

He said the public should not be alarmed as the infection, caused by a bacteria which lives in water, could not be spread from person to person. People could not catch it from washing or drinking tap water.

An HPA spokeswoman today added: “Wi- th isolated cases of Legionnaires, it can be picked up through travel. If you get two cases in the same area they might be isolated but you also look to make sure there is not a link.”

Legionnaires’ Disease is an uncommon form of pneumonia and people become infected when they inhale legionella bacteria released into the air from a contaminated source. The disease is rarely seen in children and generally affects men over 50.

Early symptoms include a flu-like illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever. It not the first time people in the Whitchurch area have been struck down with Legionnaires’ Disease.

Two Whitchurch men, one of whom died, were among a group of five from Shropshire and Powys diagnosed with the infection in August and September 2006. No common source for the cases was found.

By Health Correspondent Dave Morris