Health officials have issued a warning for the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area and begun an "urgent investigation" after uncovering a fifth case of Legionella Pneumonia.

Just hours after a 30-year-old woman arrived at a city hospital showing symptoms of the potentially fatal infectious disease, health chiefs have announced an investigation into the unusual rise in cases.

Dr Syed Ahmed, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Lead Consultant in Public Health, said: "There are always a small number of cases of Legionella Pneumonia in the community every year, however this rise in the number of cases so close together is unusual.

"As a result we have begun an urgent investigation with Health Protection Scotland and Environmental Health colleagues today to examine if there is any potential common source or whether these cases are coincidental, albeit unusual.

"At this early stage in these investigations we have established no link between the cases.

"It is important to remember that Legionella cannot be spread from person to person. It is an uncommon bacterial infection.

"Legionella bacteria is found in water and can be spread through aerosols produced from water, such as air conditioning and showers and it cannot be contracted by drinking contaminated water.

"The symptoms and signs of Legionnaires' Disease include headache, fever, dry cough, breathing difficulties, stomach pains and diarrhoea. I would like to advise anyone currently with these symptoms to contact NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24 or their own GP."

The woman, who has not been named, is currently in a critical condition and is being treated in an Intensive Therapy Unit.

The three other people who have been affected are said to be stable and are all responding well to treatment.