Legionnaires' Outbreak 2019: Georgia Health Officials Confirm Death, 61 'Probable' Cases

Georgia health officials Tuesday confirmed one death after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Atlanta.

Cameo Garrett, 49, died from coronary artery disease "aggravated by Legionella pneumonia," according to WSB-TV, an ABC affiliate in Atlanta.

“There are 12 lab-confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, including one death, and 61 probable cases,” Georgia Department of Public Health’s director of communications Nancy Nydam said in a press release.

A Sheraton Hotel in Atlanta suffered a small outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease after several guests were diagnosed between July 12 and July 15. The first guests confirmed to have been diagnosed had complained to hotel staff about lung problems.

After the first confirmed cases, the Sheraton voluntarily closed until the Georgia Department of Public Health completed an investigation into what caused the outbreak. The Sheraton also had to relocate over 400 guests that were staying at the hotel at the time of the outbreak. The hotel will remain closed until at least Sunday, according to the hotel's general manager.

Legionnaires’ disease is described by the Mayo Clinic and CDC as a “severe form of pneumonia” caused by a bacterial infection. The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ is identified as Legionella and generally forms in warm water environments. It can then make its way into the lungs after consuming water or inhaling mist where Legionella has formed and festered. However, it cannot be spread through physical contact with others that may be sick with it.

New York is in the midst of its largest-ever Legionnaires' disease outbreak, with 86 reported cases and seven deaths in the South Bronx in the past month. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported that the deaths consisted of older adults who had underlying medical problems.

There was also an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in June at a newly opened hospital outside Columbus, Ohio. Sixteen people were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ and a 75-year-old woman died after she was diagnosed.