
At least 14 cases of Legionnaires' disease have been reported in central Florida.
In an email to state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, the Florida Department of Health revealed the outbreak is linked to a gym, reported ABC News affiliate WFTV.
The letter from the department did not list the name of the gym, but WFTV reported that a Crunch Fitness in Ocoee -- 12 miles west of Orlando -- had members reporting cases of Legionnaires' disease.
3 dead and at least 67 sick from growing Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City
Crunch Fitness told the station it is working with the health department, has closed off parts of the gym and is testing its pool and spa systems "out of an abundance of caution."
Neither the Florida Department of Health nor Crunch Fitness immediately returned ABC News' request for comment.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria in small droplets of water mixed in the air or contaminated water accidentally going into your lungs.
Legionella bacteria are found naturally in freshwater but typically grow best in warm water and in warm to hot temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The disease does not spread from person to person, but outbreaks can grow if the bacteria get into a building's water supply, including in shower heads, sink faucets, hot water tanks, heaters and other plumbing systems.
Mysterious outbreak in Argentina solved: Legionnaires' disease behind illness that sickened 11
Legionnaires has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021.
Although most people recover from Legionnaires' disease with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal.
About one out of every 10 people who develops Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications, according to the CDC. Among those who develop Legionnaires' disease during a stay in a health care facility, about one out of every four people will die, the federal health agency added.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Concern for couple jailed in Tehran as British embassy closes - 2
Moderna to complete US mRNA manufacturing network with $140 million investment - 3
Top Frozen yogurt Flavor: Cast Your Vote! - 4
80 km. on foot: Sharren Haskel’s three-day march in protest of haredi draft bill - 5
ACA subsidies latest: Making sense of what's happening with health care after Republicans revolt, forcing a vote on funding extension
Private sector revives the climate disaster database Trump tried to squash
The Best Traditional Music Arrangers in History
Joshua Made Last-Second Seat Change That Saved His Life
Dark matter obeys gravity after all — could that rule out a 5th fundamental force in the universe?
I work with companies to confront addiction in the workplace. The hidden crisis is costing corporate America millions.
Creative Tech Contraptions That Will Work on Your Life
Father and son spending Christmas together after health scares
5 Pizza Fixings That Characterize Your Character
Second doctor in Matthew Perry overdose case sentenced to home confinement













