Additional Legionnaire’s Disease Case Identified

A fifth Legionnaire’s Disease case has been identified in the Wenatchee area. Like the first four, this patient had visited the Wenatchee Safeway a few weeks ago during the period when the disease was probably contracted. This is not absolute proof that the disease was contracted at Safeway, but it does strongly suggest the possibility. Misters in the produce sections of grocery stores have been implicated in past Legionnaire’s outbreaks. As a precaution, Safeway has worked diligently with public health officials to sanitize its produce area, which was reopened to the public over the weekend. There is no reason to think there is any continued risk of infection.

Legionnaire’s Disease is a serious but rare form of pneumonia having a case fatality rate of 5% to 30%. People get the disease by inhaling particles or droplets infected with the Legionella bacterium. It is not an uncommon organism but does not become dangerous unless it multiplies in stagnant water. You cannot catch it from a sick patient.

The other four local patients recently hospitalized for the disease have been discharged from the hospital.

Public health continues to investigate the source of the illnesses. Further lab results are expected over the next two to three weeks.