Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease may be traced back to NC casino, officials say
North Carolina health officials are investigating several cases of Legionnaires’ disease in people who visited a western North Carolina casino resort.
Three cases of the disease are being investigated in people who visited the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina from May 2018 through November, according to a news release from the Jackson County Department of Public Health and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians Public Health and Human Services on Wednesday.
Health officials said it “cannot be confirmed whether any of the cases were exposed to” the bacteria that causes the disease while visiting the resort because the bacteria is “naturally occurring in the environment and has up to a 14-day incubation period, making it difficult to pinpoint exact location of exposure.”
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by inhaling droplets of water in the air that are contaminated with Legionella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The disease is named after an outbreak in 1976 at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
Health officials said the casino’s property management is assisting in the investigation by “treating its water system and taking steps to provide information to past and current guests.”
Symptoms of the disease include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches, according to the CDC, and symptoms usually begin 2-10 days after a person is exposed to the bacteria. There are no vaccines that can prevent the disease.
“Outbreaks are most commonly associated with buildings or structures that have complex water systems, like hotels, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships,” according to the CDC. “Within these structures, the bacterium can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made water systems, like hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, and decorative fountains.”
Most people who are exposed to the bacteria do not get sick, according to health officials and the CDC. Those who are at greatest risk, the news release states, include:
▪ People 50 or older;
▪ “Current or former smokers;”
▪ “People with chronic lung disease;”
▪ People with weakened immune systems or who take medications that weaken their immune systems;
▪ ”People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure or liver failure.”
The disease requires treatment with antibiotics, but even health people “often need care in the hospital,” according to the CDC. “About 1 in 10 people who get Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.”
People who develop symptoms and have been to the casino resort should seek medical attention from their primary care physician, health officials said.
While it is not certain that the exposure occurred at the casino resort, health officials said management “has taken immediate steps to ensure the safety and health of their guests.”
For more information, call the health department at 828-587-8201 or go to health.jacksonnc.org.
This story was originally published November 21, 2018 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease may be traced back to NC casino, officials say."