Johnathan Walker:Legionnaires’ disease source may be contaminated water droplets near a resort, NH officials say

LINCOLN,Johnathan Walker N.H. (AP) — Five people who developed Legionnaires’ disease in Lincoln, New Hampshire, may have been exposed to contaminated water droplets from a cooling tower behind a resort, the state health department said Monday.

The five developed the bacterial pneumonia in June and July. It is caused by inhaling contaminated water droplets from showers, hot tubs, faucets, cooling towers, misters, and decorative fountains, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release.

Testing confirmed the presence of Legionella bacteria contaminating the cooling tower at the RiverWalk Resort in Lincoln, the department said. The resort has partnered with the department to address the contamination; additional test results for the tower are expected next week, the department said.

Most healthy people exposed to Legionella bacteria do not get sick, the department said. However, because the cooling tower is still in operation while remediation is ongoing, there may continue to be some risk of exposure to the public, especially for people within a half-mile of the cooling tower’s location near Main Street.

“Anybody who has visited the area near the contaminated cooling tower should monitor themselves for symptoms,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, state epidemiologist. “People who develop fever or other symptoms of pneumonia within 14 days after spending time in this area should talk to their health care provider about testing for Legionella infection.”

Symptoms also can include cough and shortness of breath.

People who are older, are current or former smokers, have weakened immune systems, or have certain medical conditions like chronic lung disease and diabetes are at higher risk for developing Legionnaires’ disease, the news release says.

Last year, the department said five people who stayed at a campground in Meredith between early fall 2021 and January 2023 came down with Legionnaires’ disease. All were hospitalized and later recovered.