NCDHHS Investigates Cases of Legionnaire's Disease | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    FLETCHER     The Buncombe and Henderson County Health Departments, in conjunction with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, are investigating multiple cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in individuals who attended the NC Mountain State Fair in Fletcher, NC, Sept. 6-15, 2019.

    "We don't yet know whether people might have been exposed to Legionella bacteria at the NC Mountain State Fair," said State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore. "As a precaution, we are recommending that anyone who went to the fair and has symptoms of pneumonia, like cough, fever or shortness of breath, see a doctor right away and talk with them about Legionnaires' disease."

    Legionnaires' disease is a form of bacterial pneumonia (lung infection). A person may develop Legionnaires' disease when they breathe in mist or accidentally swallow water into the lungs that contains Legionella bacteria. In North Carolina, more than 150 cases of Legionnaires' disease are reported each year. Symptoms typically begin two to 10 days after exposure and can include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches. Legionnaires' disease is a serious illness but can be treated effectively with antibiotics. Legionella bacteria can also cause a milder flu-like illness called Pontiac fever, which resolves without treatment.

    Most healthy people exposed to Legionella bacteria do not get sick. The people at highest risk for Legionnaires' disease include individuals 50 years or older, current or former smokers, and those who have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system.

    Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment. These bacteria can become a health concern when they grow and spread in human-made water systems like hot water tanks, cooling towers of air conditioning systems, decorative fountains and hot tubs or spas that are not properly maintained.

    People who attended the NC Mountain State Fair and are experiencing cough, fever or shortness of breath should call their health care provider right away.

    For additional information or to report possible cases of Legionnaires' disease, please call the Division of Public Health at (919) 733-3419 or contact your local health department. In Buncombe County, call (828) 250-5109. In Henderson County, call (828) 694-6019.

    Find out more about Legionella bacteria and Legionnaire's disease on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/resources/materials.html.


  • NC Department of Health and Human Services
  • 2001 Mail Service Center
  • Raleigh, NC 27699-2001
  • Ph: (919) 855-4840
  • news@dhhs.nc.gov

Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )




Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center Celebrates 50 Years of Recovery North Carolina Health, Body & Soul, Health and Fitness North Carolina Provides Crisis Counseling to Over 200,000 People Impacted by Hurricane Florence


HbAD0

Latest Health and Fitness

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a Community Partner Engagement Plan to ensure the voices of North Carolina communities and families continue to be at the center of the department’s work.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.
Part of ongoing effort to raise awareness and combat rising congenital syphilis cases
Recognition affirms ECU Health’s commitment to providing highly-reliable, human-centered care
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is launching a new Statewide Peer Warmline on Feb. 20, 2024. The new Peer Warmline will work in tandem with the North Carolina 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by giving callers the option to speak with a Peer Support Specialist.
A subsidiary of one of the largest health insurance agencies in the U.S. was hit by a cyberattack earlier this week from what it believes is a foreign “nation-state” actor, crippling many pharmacies’ ability to process prescriptions across the country.
The John Locke Foundation is supporting a New Bern eye surgeon's legal fight against North Carolina's certificate-of-need restrictions on healthcare providers.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the following statement on the Trails Carolina investigation:
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released a draft of its 2024-25 Olmstead Plan designed to assist people with disabilities to reside in and experience the full benefit of inclusive communities.

HbAD1

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tues., Feb. 20, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how to support and improve heart health as well as prevent and manage heart disease.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is investing $5.5 million into the FIT Wellness program, part of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program in the UNC School of Medicine, to improve reentry services for the justice-involved population.
As of Feb. 1, 2024, 346,408 newly eligible North Carolinians are enrolled in Medicaid and now have access to comprehensive health care, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Medicaid Expansion Enrollment Dashboard.
Controversy surrounds a healthcare provider’s decision to block parents from having access to their children’s prescription records.
Members of the North Carolina Rural Health Association (NCRHA) visited Washington, D.C., on Feb. 14, 2024, to meet with elected officials and advocate for policies to improve access to care in rural areas.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the request for proposal to hire the organization that will help manage the Children and Families Specialty Plan.
As part of its commitment to improve the health and well-being of North Carolina children and families, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of its Child Behavioral Health dashboard.
February is National Children's Dental Health Month, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is emphasizing the importance of children's dental hygiene to overall health and well-being.

HbAD2

 
Back to Top