File – This representative photo shows the reflection of health workers in the lobby of a hospital. (Ted S. Warren / AP Photo)
TO Newsroom
UPDATED 7:43 AM PT – Friday, January 8, 2021
Portland officials are investigating a deadly outbreak of legionnaires’ disease at a nursing home. On Tuesday, the Multnomah County Health Department said one person died and four others were hospitalized at Rosemont Court.
Officials are urging more than 100 residents to move temporarily after a number of people at the unit reported symptoms. The request is an abundance of precaution, because legionnaires’ disease, which is a more severe form of pneumonia, is not particularly contagious.
“The good news is it’s not person-to-person,” said Dr. Jennifer Vines of Multnomah County Health. “It usually comes from some kind of water source where there was some kind of failure in water maintenance.”
Some residents of Rosemont Court in N Portland are temporarily moving after four people fell ill with legionary disease.
“Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria called Legionella that usually spreads from a water source,” says Dr. Vines.@KOINNews pic.twitter.com/WnQsTXlWFf
– Jacquelyn Abad (@JacquelynAbadTV) January 6, 2021
Officials said more than 20 residents had already left the house, while others decided to stay put. Meanwhile, the Department of Health said it is working with building administrators to treat the water system, which has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak.