This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
Published on August 8, 2019, a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Atlanta, Ga., has claimed its first victim. Cameo Garrett, a 49-year-old woman from Decatur, Ga., died on July 9 from coronary artery disease, a condition that worsened after she contracted Legionnaires' disease.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, Ms. Garrett was among 12 people who contracted the disease after visiting the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel between June 12 and July 15. The hotel voluntarily closed on July 15 and remains closed, with investigators taking samples and conducting tests to determine the source of the outbreak.
As of July 29, 61 'probable' cases of Legionnaires' disease had been reported by people who visited the hotel during that time frame. Six more 'probable' cases have been reported since then.
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia that stems from the Legionella bacterium and infects the lungs. The disease is contracted by breathing in small droplets of water that contain bacteria often found on bathroom fixtures. It is treated with antibiotics, but people who are 50 and older with a history of smoking, lung disease, or weak immune systems are more likely to become ill after exposure.
