A COUNCIL has outlined steps businesses can take to prevent its staff and customers contracting potentially-deadly Legionnaires Disease when lockdown eases.

Pendle Council has outlined measures firms can bring in to prevent Legionella bacteria from getting into water systems while they are closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

This has meant that many hot and cold water systems are not running, increasing the chances of the infection forming and causing Legionnaires’ disease - a potentially fatal type of pneumonia caused by inhaling droplets of contaminated water.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: “The risk of infection is much greater when businesses close for a number of weeks.

“It’s essential that additional controls are put into place before any water systems are used again,” he added.