At least 14 cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been reported in central Florida, with health officials linking the outbreak to a local gym.
The Florida Department of Health notified state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith about the outbreak, though the letter did not name the facility. Reports indicate that a Crunch Fitness location in Ocoee, roughly 12 miles west of Orlando, has had members diagnosed with the disease. The gym has closed off portions of the building and is testing its pool and spa systems as a precaution while working with health authorities.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by inhaling Legionella bacteria, which can be present in small water droplets or accidentally enter the lungs from contaminated water. The bacteria naturally occur in freshwater but thrive in warm water and hot plumbing systems. Outbreaks often occur when Legionella contaminates a building’s water supply, including showers, faucets, and water heaters.
The disease does not spread from person to person, but it has become more common over the past decade. Cases peaked at 2.71 per 100,000 people in 2018, declined during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rose again in 2021.
While most patients recover with antibiotics, those with weakened immune systems or chronic lung conditions are at higher risk of severe complications. The CDC reports that about one in ten people who contract Legionnaires’ disease dies from related complications, with the fatality rate rising to one in four for patients who acquire the infection while in a health care facility.