An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in an apartment complex in Portland, Oregon, killed at least one person and hospitalized four others, officials said this week.
The Multnomah County Health Department in a press release on Tuesday said that more than 100 residents of Rosemont Court in North Portland were urged to move temporarily after several people fell ill with pneumonia.
Investigations on Monday revealed that the building’s water supply is the likely source of the Legionnaires’ outbreak.
The health department is now “working with Northwest Housing Alternatives, which owns Rosemont Court to temporarily relocate residents and ensure proper cleaning of the building’s plumbing system to remove any remaining Legionella bacteria,” which is naturally found in freshwater, “but it can cause health problems if it enters a building’s water supply,” health officials said.
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Legionnaire’s disease is a serious form of pneumonia. People contract the disease by inhaling the Legionella bacteria. The disease is not spread from person to person.
Legionella pneumophila, a bacterium, is usually the cause of the disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can be found in soil and water, but it causes infection most commonly when it multiplies in water systems, such as hot tubs and air conditioners.
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“This is a unique and worrying situation and we are working with our partners as soon as possible to determine whether other properties or water sources are affected,” said Dr. Jennifer Vines, Multnomah County health officer, in a statement.
Residents were given temporary housing in local motels, with 20 residents choosing to leave the building on Monday night and others are expected to follow suit, according to the health department.