TV presenter caught Legionnaires’ disease during Majorca holiday
BBC presenter David Garmston caught Legionnaires’ disease while on holiday in Majorca and ended up having to spend a week in intensive care.
The Bristol-born Points West presenter said he had a wonderful family holiday to the Spanish island in August but, having felt fine during his time abroad, he started to feel unwell when he came back.
The broadcaster said at first he thought it was just anxiety caused by the additional stresses of going abroad during the pandemic, such as forms and covid tests.
Mr Garmston said he was also coughing and couldn’t breathe very well so he took a couple of lateral flow tests and they came back negative. He ended up passing out on the bed, with his family calling an ambulance at this point.
Finding out he had Legionnaires’ disease was a shock, the 63-yearold said: “It turned out that I was incubating this rather nasty disease. The next thing I remember an ambulance arrived, although I can barely remember that, and then I woke up in hospital.
“I just put it down to being a bit anxious about things, but I was obviously quite ill at that time and didn’t realise it.”
Mr Garmston said when he arrived at the Bristol Royal Infirmary he was asked where he had been on holiday and, telling them he had been to Spain, they checked him for Legionnaires’ disease.
He said the disease is very rare, with only around 200 people a year contracting it in the UK.
He was put on antibiotics and, as he was still having difficulties breathing, was moved from a respiratory ward to the intensive care unit (ICU) as a precaution in case he needed to be ventilated.
He spent a week in ICU, he said, and wished to thank all the staff at the hospital.
Mr Garmston added: “The nurses held my hand for a week – day and night.
“I just can not thank them enough, they were magnificent and so were all the staff, I was very well looked after.
“The tea ladies in particular were amazing, they brought me so many cuppas and custard creams and gave us a laugh every day.
“That is one of my memories, I just looked forward to seeing them.
“I was just really humbled by the care I got. I owe them my life and I shall be forever grateful.”
Mr Garmston – who has been at
Points West since 1985 and a regular presenter for many years – didn’t need to be ventilated, but he was on oxygen during the two weeks he spent in hospital.
He said it was a frightening time, particularly for his family.
He warned people travelling abroad to be careful with air conditioning as that is where he thinks it may have come from, even though PHE were not able to find the source.
He is still feeling tired, he said, but is hoping to be back at work soon.
Mr Garmston, who lives in central Bristol, said: “The viewers have been amazing, they have written in asking where I am.
“I didn’t think anyone would notice I was off, but they have and I am incredibly grateful.
“It is a real boost that they have noticed and that they have cared,” he added.