Legionnaires' disease: 2 more cases at Alderney Manor in Dartmouth
The first case was confirmed on Sept. 2 and the number has since grown to 5 cases
A fourth and fifth case of legionnaires' disease at the Alderney Manor apartment building in Dartmouth have been confirmed.
The first case of legionnaires' disease was announced nearly two weeks ago on Sept. 2 and the number of cases has grown since then.
A severe form of pneumonia, legionnaires' is contracted after a person breathes mists that come from a water source contaminated with the Legionella bacteria.
Antibiotics are used to treat Legionnella, which can be found in the soil and can make its way through air conditioning units, showers and whirlpools.
Symptoms of legionnaires' disease include fever, chills, dry cough, muscle aches, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea and pneumonia.
To deal with the outbreak, the hot water system at the apartment building was being treated last Friday with a "copper-silver ion unit" to kill bacteria. The building's cold-water system was to be treated this week by flushing it with chlorine.