A second person has died from Legionnaires' disease in an outbreak that originated at a hot tub display at the Mountain State Fair, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Thursday.
Previously, just one fatality was known to have come from the outbreak that now has 134 confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac Fever (a milder form of the illness).
In a news release, the NC Department of Health and Human Services also said 88 people have been hospitalized as a result of the illness.
Preliminary findings suggest that exposure to the Legionella bacteria came in the Davis Event Center near the hot tubs during the final five days of the fair in Fletcher, North Carolina, on Sept. 6-15.
“We send our sincerest condolences to the families of the two people who have died and to all those who have been affected by this outbreak,” state epidemiologist Zack Moore said in a statement. “Legionnaires’ disease is a serious illness which can lead to complications and death, especially in older individuals or those with underlying conditions.”
