Officials are still working to determine where the legionella exposures occurred, Cleveland Clinic Mercy and Canton City Public Health said in a statement sent to Becker’s Feb. 15.
In the meantime, the hospital is “proactively treating the water system, installing filters on faucets, and using bottled water where appropriate.”
“This does not pose a risk to the community, and it does not affect the water supply of the city of Canton,” officials said in the statement.
Legionella bacteria typically do not pose a risk to healthy individuals. However, people 50 and older and those with immunocompromising conditions are at increased risk of becoming ill. The bacteria are naturally found in freshwater environments and can pose health risks when they grow and spread in water systems for larger buildings, according to the CDC.
