For UK homes, mould and damp are now big issues. Not only does it weaken and degrade the appearance of the houses, but it also negatively impacts people's health, often fatally. The most recent victim of this growing issue, which affects more than a fifth of UK homes, is a man from Manchester.
According to The Metro, Luke Brooks, 27, died on October 25 of last year, not long after telling his family he had recently been struggling to breathe. Now a coroner who only a few months ago presided over two-year-old Awaab Ishak's death in a mouldy flat has opened an inquest into Luke's passing.
"A post-mortem found Luke had a form of pneumonia that can be brought on by blankets of mould before experiencing respiratory distress syndrome."
According to the media outlet, a microbiologist will now search Luke's flat for any indications of Aspergillus, the mould variety considered to be the cause of Luke's ragged breathing.
Detective Inspector Judith Holmes said council environmental health officials visited the family flat on November 1 and took several photographs.
'At this moment in time, the investigation is looking at whether criminal offences may have been committed and also what opportunities the council may have had as well,' she said.
But at this moment in time, they are still keeping an open mind.
This is the second incident related to the mould problem in Britain in a week. A few days ago, a young mother of five children in the UK reported that a significant dumping issue in her home is the reason why her son is frequently getting sick and using antibiotics.
She said that for seven years, there was mould in each of the three bedrooms of her Whitstable home.
According to a study by Utilita Energy, an electricity and gas supplier operating in the United Kingdom, more than a fifth of UK homes are suffering from damp.
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