"Strange Smell in the Water"... 70-Year-Old Woman Dies in Hot Tub While Traveling [Health Talk]

[Financial News] A woman who went on a family trip to celebrate her 70th birthday died after using a hot tub. The cause of death is currently under dispute, with debates over whether facility mismanagement played a role.
According to reports from The Sun and other foreign media, the incident began on February 7, 2020, when Paulette Crooks (70) visited the Taphnell Farm Holiday Cottage on the Isle of Wight with her daughters and eight other family members. The family rented the accommodation to celebrate her 70th birthday, and investigations revealed that they used the hot tub several times immediately after arrival.
According to her daughters, the hot tub emitted a musty and unpleasant odor, and the water gradually became cloudy and discolored. By the third day of the trip, the water had turned a light green.

After returning from the trip, Paulette experienced dizziness, vomiting, and other systemic symptoms. She was rushed to the hospital on February 16. She was transferred to the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator, and two days later was put into an induced coma for treatment. She was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease caused by Legionella infection.
On March 8, Paulette died after suffering a stroke and heart attack. The bereaved family raised concerns via email to the cottage, stating it was a direct result of the poorly maintained hot tub.

The Environmental Health Team visited the site on February 19 and began testing for Legionella, but no definitive positive results were found in the hot tub in question. However, poor water quality indicators were detected in another hot tub on the same property. The local government ultimately informed the family that it would not pursue charges against the facility.
The hot tub cleaner and manager stated during the investigation, "I don't recall any issues, and if there had been, I would have reported them." He insisted that he checked the water quality daily during the family's stay, but the coroner questioned whether these checks actually took place. Paulette's daughter, Denise Scott, countered the facility's claims, saying, "No one came to check the water quality from the moment we arrived until we left."
The family added that since they were awake at different times, if anyone had approached the hot tub, the family dog would have barked, making them immediately aware.
Sommerley Coroner explained to the jury that "the key questions are whether Paulette was actually infected at the site and how that infection contributed to her death." The inquest is expected to last up to two weeks.

Legionnaires' disease is an acute bacterial pneumonia caused when Legionella enters the lungs through the respiratory tract. While this bacterium exists in natural water sources, it proliferates more easily in artificial water supply and drainage systems. Concentrations are especially high in environments with stagnant warm water, such as unused hot water pipes, showers, cooling towers, fountains, spas, and hot tubs. Infection does not spread person-to-person but occurs when contaminated vapor or droplets are inhaled.
The incubation period is typically two to ten days. Initial symptoms resemble a cold, such as mild fever, fatigue, and muscle aches, which can delay diagnosis. However, within hours or days, it can rapidly progress to pneumonia with high fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
If symptoms become severe, oxygen saturation drops, requiring intensive care. The fatality rate is particularly high among immunocompromised individuals, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. In some cases, patients may develop organ failure such as sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or kidney failure, making prompt initial treatment critical for survival.

Legionella thrives best at temperatures between 20 and 45 degrees Celsius, which matches the typical water temperature in household or accommodation hot water tanks, tubs, and showers. Because water in spas and hot tubs is continuously circulated and heated, even slight lapses in management can lead to rapid bacterial growth.
A drop in chlorine levels, malfunctioning filters, or prolonged stagnation all pose immediate risks. If fine mist containing bacteria spreads from the water, infection can occur simply through respiratory exposure.
From a public health perspective, Legionnaires' disease is classified as a recurrent environmental infectious disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health authorities recommend keeping hot water tanks above 60 degrees Celsius, regular disinfection, preventing water stagnation, and thorough flushing and cleaning before use as key preventive measures.
Facilities frequented by vulnerable populations, such as care accommodations, hospitals, and healthcare centers, are required to conduct regular water quality monitoring. Due to their structural risks, hot tubs and spas are subject to the strictest management under international health guidelines.
hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter