Second Person Diagnosed with Legionnaires' Disease at DC Retirement Community

A second resident of a retired community in the northwest of the country has been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, raising concerns about the possibility of spreading highly contagious bacteria.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said on Tuesday that the second affected person was also resident of Ingleside in Rock Creek on the military road.

The two people developed symptoms before the construction department imposed restrictions on the use of water, the health department said.

Information about the state of one or the other person was not available.

The DC Department of Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and DC Water to investigate the source of the disease, officials told News4 Monday.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by a bacterium that can thrive in buildings with complex water systems such as hotels and long-term care facilities, according to the CDC. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, and headaches.

Most healthy people will not be infected after exposure. Older people are particularly at risk and the disease kills 1 in 10 infected patients. The CDC says that you can get infected by the bacteria by inhaling droplets of water.

Ingleside residents of Rock Creek were asked to restrict the use of water and to refrain from drinking tap water, boiling it, shower or use fog machines until the filters are installed.

DC Water says that the city's water supply is safe.

"We can assure district residents that this problem is isolated in the facility and that the drinking water distributed by DC Water to the general population is safe," a spokesman said in a statement.

According to a letter dated Wednesday from Rock Creek General Manager Frank Beech's Ingleside, it will be 8 to 10 days before the test results return to the water in the retiree community. The building management said that it provided bottled water and other supplies until residents knew if the water was healthy.

The high-end retiree community boasts of its "committed life" principle.

"The community includes retired members of the diplomatic service and the state department, former educators of the highest academic levels, writers and musicians, and successful entrepreneurs, all sharing a common vision of elegant retirement life." .