Napa County Reports Fatality From Legionnaires' Disease

NAPA COUNTY, CA — An outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in Napa County has now caused one death, county officials said Tuesday.

Twelve cases were reported to Napa County Public Health between July 11 and July 27 in people who live in the city of Napa and in Calistoga. The 12 sickened people were all hospitalized.

"We are deeply saddened by the death of this individual, and our thoughts and condolences go out to the family," said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County’s public health officer and deputy director of Health and Human Services. "We share concern for all impacted by this outbreak."

It marks the first fatality in several years in Napa County from Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella, which grows in warm water.

Symptoms resemble other types of pneumonia and can include fever, chills, muscle aches and cough.

Most cases of Legionnaires' disease can be traced to contamination of artificial water systems where conditions are favorable for Legionella growth, such as cooling towers or decorative fountains. People get sick by breathing in water vapor containing Legionella bacteria — it is not transmitted from person to person.

People at higher risk for the disease include those ages 50 and older, cigarette smokers, and people with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems. Legionnaires’ disease is treatable with antibiotics.

"Napa County Public Health continues to work closely with a joint investigation team from the California Department of Public Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Napa County Environmental Health Branch of the Planning Building and Environmental Services Department (PBES-EH) to conduct environmental investigations and sampling for Legionella, and, where appropriate, recommending remediation strategies to prevent further transmission," county officials said.