Brit dies after ‘contracting Legionnaires’ on Bulgarian holiday’
The family of a British man who claim he contracted Legionnaires' after staying at a three-star hotel in Bulgaria have launched legal action against tour operator Jet2.
John Cowan, 43, from Hamilton, Lanarkshire purchased a trip to Bulgaria via tour operator Jet 2, and stayed at the three-star hotel Kalofer in the country's Sunny Beach resort.
During his holiday, he contracted a virus but continued to suffer symptoms even after returning back to the UK.
He was bed-ridden for days and went to the GP after feeling shortness of breath.
Mr Cowan was immediately rushed to hospital, where medics confirmed he had pneumonia in one lung.
His kidneys failed, and soon after doctors diagnosed him with Legionnaires' disease, a sever form on pneumonia caused by infection.
He died from septic shock on June 19, just a week after returning home.
It is also claimed that four other people in the hotel fell ill following their stay but tests conducted on the water to see if it was contaminated were negative.
Not much is known about the alleged virus outbreak, but staff are now carrying out checks on the hotel's air conditioning system, according to reports.
Mr Cowan's family claim he contracted the disease while staying at the Bulgarian Hotel and are now launching legal action against the tour operator.
His brother Barry, said: "We are all devastated.
"Neither Jet2 nor the hotel have helped us at all – it's like they're just trying to hush it all up rather than help a bereaved family.
"Jet2 told us they had not tested the aircraft my brother was on and they don't think this is the source of the injury.
"We know of two other UK families affected by this who also stayed in the same hotel.
"Apparently there were also two hotel staff members who became ill."
Mr Cowan's mother, Marie, 63, described the tragic events that led to her son's death.
The retired care assistant from Hamilton said: "When John came home he was feeling unwell.
"He was weak and his bones were aching.
"He basically stayed in bed most of that week – it wasn't until he started getting short of breath that we went to the GP.
"As soon as the doctor saw John he realised he needed urgent attention and phoned an ambulance which took him to Wishaw General."
Medics ran emergency tests and put Mr Cowan on a ventilator after discovering he had pneumonia in one lung.
However his kidneys stopped working and he was put on dialysis before it was confirmed he had Legionnaires' Disease.
Mrs Cowan added: "They had him treated by a medical team from Leicester but by that time he had pneumonia in the other lung as well.
"John was going to be moved to the Golden Jubilee but before the transfer he had to undergo an operation to help him breathe.
"However during surgery he went into cardiac arrest where he was unresponsive for 30 minutes.
"John was eventually revived and taken to the Jubilee however on arrival specialists told us John had suffered catastrophic brain damage as a result of the lack of oxygen so we gave permission to turn off the ventilator and give John a dignified passing."
It is understood Public Health Scotland were made aware of the outbreak after being contacted by one of the medical team from Leicester.
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