The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services issued an alert on Friday, December 29, 2023, after two out-of-town residents got sick with Legionnaires disease. Both the visitors were staying at the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa in Whitefield, NH and one of them has unfortunately passed away. Read ahead to find out more about the disease, its cause, and its symptoms.
A visitor dies from Legionnaires disease after staying at NH resort
A woman, identified as 71-year-old Barbara Kruschwitz visiting New Hampshire from Rhode Island has passed away from Legionnaires disease after staying at Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa. Another guest from Massachusetts was also diagnosed with the ailment after staying at the resort.
BREAKING NEWS: Mass. resident dies from Legionnaires’ disease after staying at New Hampshire resort https://t.co/ujybz996qY
— Boston 25 News (@boston25) December 29, 2023
New Hampshire health officials have launched an investigation to identify the source of the exposure. Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa has detailed the current situation in a Facebook update. They state that the officials are trying to confirm where the visitors contracted their infection and whether it is related to their stay in the Fall of 2023.
The resort has also assured its visitors that they are fiercely dedicated to following their protocols to ensure the utmost health and safety of their guests and employees. They are currently awaiting the test results.
What is Legionnaires Disease?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Legionnaires disease is a concerning type of pneumonia. It is caused by Legionella bacteria that can be found in contaminated water.
two Legionnaires Disease (LD) cases reported on 27-12-2023 increasing the 2023 total to 119 cases, the highest since records began #hongkong #legionella pic.twitter.com/cNq5j2je1m
— John Herbert (@johnherbert) December 27, 2023
This disease is sporadic but infections can outbreak if people are exposed to contaminated communal water at large facilities such as hotels, hospitals, and apartments. They easily spread when someone inhales tiny droplets of water from a bathtub, air conditioning, and even drinking facilities.
Symptoms and Causes
The symptoms of the disease typically appear within two to fourteen days of exposure to bacteria and include headache, muscle aches, shortness of breath, cough, and fever. Patients can also suffer from diarrhea, nausea, and confusion as symptoms.
The husband of 71-year-old Barbara Kruschwitz says more should have been done after his wife died to prevent a second person from falling ill. https://t.co/unecFunEH8
— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) December 31, 2023
People who contract this infection can develop two illnesses, Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever. This is a severe ailment and requires hospitalization as it can be fatal. As per the CDC, it is majorly contracted by adults over 50 years.
People who smoke, have chronic respiratory disease, suffer from diabetes, and/or any other immunocompromising conditions like cancer are at risk. Meanwhile, Pontiac fever is a milder infection. Its primary symptoms are fever and body aches. It is differentiable as it isn’t related to pneumonia.
Therefore, CDC recommends that anyone who has symptoms of pneumonia should contact medical professionals. They should also mention the potential risk of being exposed to Legionella bacteria if they have used a hot tub, traveled, and/or been at a hospital in the last two weeks.
