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(WXYZ) – A new warning tonight from the Michigan Department of Health after a spike in cases of Legionnaire's disease in the state. Michigan Health and Social Services is now working to alert health care providers to jump in order to protect the public.
There was a jump of 26% over last year. There are 135 confirmed cases of legionellosis throughout the state, and 70 of them were in the Detroit metropolitan area. Health officials say it's only the beginning.
Of the 135 cases in the state of Michigan, 24 have been confirmed since the beginning of July, with 13 other cases pending, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
It marks a 26 percent increase in the life-threatening illness of that time in 2017.
The Ministry of Health says the peak corresponds to a national trend. Legionellosis, a form of legionnaires' disease, is more common in summer and early fall. During warming, stagnant water allows bacteria to grow further.
"It's a serious problem, but it happens and when it's not treated sooner, it can kill people," said Dr. Partha Nandi, editor of WXYZ Health.
Sandy Sims is very familiar with the real dangers of legionaries.
"My Aunt Lena Newkirk has become very sick," Sims said. "They did not know what was wrong."
It was legionaries, and Sandy said it had been found in a faulty humidifier.
"It was a horrible suffering," she said. "It was a terrible death, its extremities became black and it became essentially comatose."
Everyone exposed to contaminated water particles in the air will not be infected.
The Department of Health states that the most at risk are:
- more than 50
- current or former smokers
- those with chronic lung disease
- and persons with weakened immune systems [19659017] The most notable cases in our area are the recent three at Wayne State University, which have been traced to a cooling tower on campus.
The Department of Health says that there is a higher risk if:
- you traveled recently with an overnight stay
- in a health facility
- or a place with recent repairs of plumbing or maintenance work
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