The bacteria can cause a severe form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease, which has a fatality rate between 10% and 25%, CDC data show.
No cases of infection have been found in the hospital’s patient population, and the facility established precautions after its annual testing schedule revealed the elevated levels, according to the outlet.
The hospital also shut down some showers to treat the bacteria.
“Remediation efforts are underway with shower filters being overnighted so that the showers that are off can be turned back on,” a health department spokesperson told the Sun.
The size and complexity of healthcare facility water systems, coupled with vulnerable patient populations, increase the risk for the waterborne bacteria. Last month, water testing at a Dignity Health hospital in Henderson, Nev., detected elevated levels of Legionella bacteria.
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