Health Department Finds the Cause of Legionnaires Disease Outbreak

abc News:

In late February of 2018, North Port Florida reported an outbreak of Legionnaires disease. Doctor Farouq, an infectious disease physician became worried when several patients presented with similar pneumonia-like symptoms living in the Islandwalk Community in North Port. He alerted the Florida Department of Health of his findings who later took over the investigation and began searching for the cause of the outbreak. Legionnaires disease is transferred when contaminated water becomes airborne. Normally, legionella bacteria sits on the surface of the water as a thin film and following any distribution the particles spread and can aerosolized causing pneumonia-like symptoms in those who are exposed. The Florida Department of Health just announced that they found the growth of Legionella bacteria in a hot water heater at the fitness area of IslandWalk. As of now, 13 people have been infected with Legionnaires disease in the Islandwalk Community. To read more about the outbreak and investigation, click here.