Legionella bacteria detected at buildings in Berks County, Pennsylvania, officials say
Legionella can cause Legionnaires' disease, a serious type of pneumonia.
Berks County said the bacteria was detected as part of routine water testing at the campus on 400 East Wyomissing Avenue in Mohnton.
The remediation efforts include water system flushing and additional testing.
In the meantime, the county is providing temporary bathroom facilities and drinking water.
The campus includes the county's Planning Commission, Redevelopment Authority and several other agencies.
No staff are required to vacate the campus due to the remediation work.
According to the Mayo Clinic, most people who become infected with Legionnaires' disease get infected from water droplets. Outbreaks have been linked to air conditioner systems, hot water tanks and drinking water systems.
The disease does not spread from person to person.
The disease has been in the news recently after a major outbreak in New York City's Harlem neighborhood was responsible for 90 confirmed cases, including three deaths, CBS News New York reported.
The disease got its name from a 1976 outbreak at a Philadelphia hotel that hosted the Pennsylvania American Legion, sickening well over 100 members and other people in the hotel or in the area. In the end, there were 182 cases that killed 29 people.
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