A hot tub at Summit Greens, a 55-and-older living community in suburban Orlando, FL, has been established as the source for Legionella bacteria that sickened two residents with Legionnaires’ disease, according to numerous news reports. Both victims were hospitalized but have since recovered and returned home.
The news about Summit Greens – located in Clermont – broke a day after news of four cases of Legionnaires’ disease were linked to two LA Fitness facilities in the greater Orlando area in Central Florida.
A third Summit Greens resident was hospitalized with Legionnaires’ symptoms but tested negative for the disease and passed away soon thereafter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating and re-testing the individual’s urine sample to double-check the original findings.
A person usually catches Legionnaires’ disease – a serious type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria – by inhaling microscopic water droplets in the form of mist or vapor.
Residents living in the Summit Greens community exhibiting pneumonia- or flu-like symptoms – especially anybody exhibiting those symptoms within two weeks of using the hot tub – should seek immediate medical attention.