New Jersey investigating cluster of Legionnaires' disease in Passaic and Bergen Counties
NEW JERSEY -- The New Jersey Department of Health is investigating a cluster of Legionnaires' disease cases in Passaic and Bergen Counties.
So far, there are seven confirmed cases across the two counties.
CBS2 was able to confirm two people were diagnosed in the city of Passaic. There were also cases in Paterson and Wayne.
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia people get after breathing in small droplets of water contaminated with Legionella bacteria.
"It's picked up by breathing in these contaminated droplets and the good news is it's not contagious from person-to-person. Unlike COVID or flu, you don't have to worry about catching it from somebody else, but it can be picked up from the environment," said Dr. Edward Lifshitz from the New Jersey Dept. of Health.
The state health department is investigating a common denominator.
"We think about things like, could they all have been shopping in the same building, which could have had an infected water display. Could they all have been in a community where something such as a cooling tower could've been at cause?" said Lifshitz.
People over age 50 are most vulnerable, as well as people who smoke or have lung disease.
"The symptoms are unfortunately somewhat similar to COVID and flu, meaning it tends to present with things such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, muscle aches," said Lifshitz.
State health officials said people who feel sick should seek medical attention, especially since the symptoms are similar to COVID and flu.
It is rare to get the disease by drinking contaminated water. The only way you could is if the water gets into an airway. You could get it from breathing in droplets from the shower for a tub.