2 dead, dozens of sick from an outbreak at Virginia's retirement home

SPRINGFIELD, Virginia (AP) – Officials from Virginia's health department said two people have died and 18 others have been hospitalized because of a respiratory virus outbreak in a retiree community.

According to the Fairfax County Health Department, 54 of the 263 residents of the Greenspring Retirement Community in Springfield, Virginia, have been exposed to the outbreak. Over the past two weeks, sick residents have experienced symptoms such as cough, fever and pneumonia.

Health department officials say they have quarantined parts of the building believed to contain the infection. Greenspring does not take in new residents because the outbreak is under investigation.

Health Department spokesman Benjamin Schwartz said the two dead patients had been hospitalized for pneumonia but were "older people with complex medical problems".