More than 100 residents of a senior housing development in northern Portland were evacuated from their homes on Tuesday after an outbreak of bacterial pneumonia, known as legionnaire’s disease, killed one person and hospitalized four others.
The Multnomah County Department of Health said on Tuesday that health officials determined on Jan. 4 that the bacteria probably entered the water supply at the Rosemont Court residential complex.
Health officials say the legionnaire’s disease is not contagious and that most people exposed to the Legionella bacteria are not sick, but for people at higher risk, breathing water droplets with the bacteria can cause severe pneumonia.
It is not yet clear how many residents are sick.
After discovering the problem, Multnomah County officials offered residents temporary lodging in motels and provided bottled water, hand washing stations and other amenities. Twenty people left Rosemont Court on Monday night, with others moving on Tuesday.
“This is a unique and worrying situation,” said Dr. Jennifer Vines, health officer for Multnomah County, “and we are working with our partners as soon as possible to determine whether other properties or water sources are affected.”