1 Dead In California Legionnaires Disease Outbreak; Bacteria Detected In Hotel Cooling Tower

A person has died while several others remain in the hospital amid a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in California's Napa County. The bacteria that can cause the disease has been identified in a hotel's cooling tower.

Twelve people have been "sickened and hospitalized" with Legionnaires' disease, Napa County Public Health noted Tuesday in a statement announcing the death of one patient. According to the agency, this marks the first fatality from Legionnaires' disease in the county "in several years."

"We are deeply saddened by the death of this individual, and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family," Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County Public Health officer and deputy director for Health and Human Services, said in the statement. "We share concern for all impacted by this outbreak."

Napa County Public Health, along with the California Department of Public Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Napa County Environmental Health Branch of the Planning Building and Environmental Services Department have been investigating the matter.

Legionella, the bacteria that can cause Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever, can become a health concern if it grows in man-made water systems, so authorities have been collecting samples from sources such as water fountains and cooling towers.

The county announced Wednesday that investigations have "preliminarily" detected "high levels" of Legionella bacteria in the samples from a cooling tower at Embassy Suites Napa Valley. The cooling tower has already been taken "offline" to prevent further risks, while authorities continue to look for other possible sources with "unsafe" levels of the bacteria.

"Finding Legionella in one water sample is an important piece of the puzzle, but we must continue to investigate other cooling towers and water sources in the outbreak area, as it is common to find more than one source," Dr. Relucio said in the statement.

In fact, none of the twelve people who were diagnosed with the disease was so far found to have stayed or visited the hotel. As of the Wednesday statement, three people were still hospitalized.

As such, residents and those who live or work in Napa County are being advised to contact a health care provider if they experience cough, difficulty in breathing and flu-like symptoms. The disease doesn't generally spread from person to person but can be contracted by breathing in small droplets of water in the air that contain Legionella, according to the CDC.

"Although Legionnaires' disease is a rare infection, this is a reminder that the bacteria that cause it are common in nature and can be found in man-made water systems," Dr. Relucio explained. "This means it's very important for owners and managers of water systems that can create aerosols to take steps to prevent Legionella from growing and spreading in water systems."

People can get more information about waterborne diseases, as well as how they can be prevented, here. Those who are 50 years old and above, have compromised immune systems, have chronic lung disease or are cigarette smokers need to take extra care, as they are the ones who are at an increased risk for an infection.