
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
Satellite constellations could obscure most space telescope observations by late 2030s: 'That part of the image will be forever lost' - 2
Countdown to Artemis II: What to know about NASA's moon mission - 3
Heavy rain, floods kill at least 45 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan - 4
Instructions to Shield Your Gold Speculation from Possible Dangers: Fundamental Protections - 5
UK clothing inflation climbs as Middle East turmoil threatens wider price rises
'Israel has the right to continue its attacks,' Lebanese Foreign Minister announces
The Hybrid Volkswagen ID. ERA 9X Will Become the Brand’s New Flagship in China
Nearly half of reindeer have been wiped out and armadillos are in Iowa. Here’s how animals are weathering warming holidays
Rick Steves' Favorite Time To Visit Spain Has Lower Prices And Fewer Crowds
Windows to the Previous: An Excursion Through the World's Notable Engineering
ADHD drugs work, but not the way experts thought
Extraordinary Picks for Home Apparatuses: Making Life Simpler
7 Moves toward a Sound and Dynamic Way of life
Audits of 6 American Busssiness Class Flights













