At least one person in the Milwaukee area has died this year from Legionnaires’ Disease, but the source of the outbreak has not yet been determined, and the number of reported cases in Wisconsin continues to rise.
Legionnaires’ Disease, got its name from a pneumonia outbreak in 1977 at an American Legion convention at a hotel in Philadelphia where dozens of people died. It was determined that these fatal cases of pneumonia were caused by a previously undiscovered bacterial strain. This bacteria that we now call Legionella can form in improperly kept, dirty, air conditioning systems or humidifiers.
Another possible contamination source could be large industrial cooling towers located building roofs. These towers can emit large amounts of steam into the atmosphere carrying contaminated water vapor for miles in multiple directions putting local residents at risk.