
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
Virtual reality opens doors for older people to build closer connections in real life - 2
U.S. to drop childhood vaccine recommendations as it looks to Denmark, Washington Post reports - 3
Flourishing in Retirement: Individual Accounts of Post-Vocation Satisfaction - 4
Watch This Glacier Race into the Sea - 5
Quandoo to shut restaurant booking platform by end of 2026
Move. Cheer. Dance. Do the wave. How to tap into the collective joy of 'we mode'
Exploring ways to reduce the impact of space junk on Earth
These four astronauts could soon travel farther from Earth than anyone has gone before
WHO suspends Gaza medical evacuations after contractor killed by Israeli troops
‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives
Find the Insider facts of Compelling Systems administration: Building Associations for Progress
After fleeing past Hezbollah fighting, some Israelis on northern border vow to stay
Pick Your Favored pizza beating
Home Plan Tips for Seniors













