As if California ’s body of water woefulness could n’t get worse , a Legionnaires ’ disease eruption has hit the city of Napa County . So far , one person has died and at least 11 others have fallen sick , including three people who required medical attending at hospital , according toNapa County Public Health .
Working with the California Department of Public Health and the CDC , local public health government engage samples from a cluster of human being - made piddle tanks in the Napa area . They found high levels ofLegionellabacteria in a cooling tower at Embassy Suites Napa Valley hotel on California Boulevard . The cool tower has since been shut off to protect the populace .
Oddly , however , none of the 12 individual infect with the disease had stayed at the hotel , hint the investigation still has not reached the root of the problem .
“ FindingLegionellain one piddle sampling is an important piece of music of the puzzle , but we must continue to investigate other cooling towers and water system seed in the outbreak area , as it is unwashed to find more than one source , ” Dr Karen Relucio , Napa County Health Officer , said in astatement .
Legionnaires ’ diseaseis a lung infection triggered by the bacteriaLegionella , which thrives in large warm water tanks .
mass are typically infect by aerosolized body of water sprayed from cool pillar , strain - conditioning units , hot vat , cooling Mister , decorative fountain , and plumbing system systems of heavy buildings .
As such , outbreaks of Legionnaires ’ disease can often occur in construction that store piddle for a large turn of people , like hotel . The bacteriaLegionellawas named after a severe outbreak in 1976 imply C of multitude who attended a convention of the American Legion at the Bellevue - Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia .
symptom of Legionnaires ’ disease are similar to other types of pneumonia , involving an unpleasant mix of a cough , shortness of breathing spell , febricity , aching muscles , and cephalalgia . The bacteriaLegionellacan also stimulate a balmy illness known as a Pontiac febricity that does n’t involve pneumonia and the great unwashed typically go back from quickly .
you may reduce the risk of get Legionnaires ’ in your own house by flushing strike and showerhead if they have n’t been used recently , plus clean any devices that could turn back urine , such as humidifiers , respiratory therapy devices , showerhead aerators , water hummer , hot tub , etc .
" Although Legionnaires ’ disease is a rare infection , this is a reminder that the bacterium that induce it are vernacular in nature and can be bump in man - made water organization , " added Dr Relucio . " This stand for it ’s very significant for owners and managers of water system that can create aerosol to take footfall to keep Legionella from growing and spreading in water supply systems . "
Beyond business organization about Legionnaires ’ disease , California ’s wider water supply is stuck in a chokehold thanks to a deepen drought , forcing the price of water supply toreach an all - clip highin the res publica .
