Four patients at the Quincy Veterans Home in Quincy, Illinois have died during an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. According to the Adams County Health Department, twenty-five other patients at the home have tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’.
People with respiratory illnesses and the elderly are at greater risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease as well as suffering from complications associated with this affliction. County officials are still working to determine if any other residents who may be affected.
The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ may be found in improperly maintained water and plumbing systems. A person can become infected by breathing in water vapor contaminated with the bacteria according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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