Health officials are investigating a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the northern California county of Napa. The Legionella bacteria was detected in the cooling tower of the Embassy Suites Napa Valley in the city. An investigation is ongoing, however, and other possible sources of the bacteria are being tested, according to NBC News.
According to California health officials, at least one person died and 11 others are sick. This is including three people who are still hospitalized with the rare illness. Napa County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Relucio said during Wednesday’s news conference that “none of the 12 who were sickened in the outbreak that started July 11 stayed at the hotel, and they were not employees.”
What we know-
According to Mayo Clinic, the Legionella bacteria lives in water, but it can spread when that water is aerosolized. Legionnaires’ disease is a dangerous illness as it causes severe pneumonia. The health officer said that if a cooling tower is contaminated with the bacteria, it can disseminate for up to a mile.
Relucio said that all 12 people are residents of Napa County and not tourists. She added that in many of the cases, they live in the area where the hotel is. Three people remained hospitalized as of Wednesday, and one of those patients was on a ventilator. The other eight patients have recovered. The person who died because of it was described as being over 50 years old and with risk factors for severe disease.