A Massachusetts resident has succumbed to Legionnaires' disease after their stay at a New Hampshire resort was linked to an outbreak of the potentially fatal illness, state health officials confirmed. Two individuals—one from Rhode Island and the other from Massachusetts—were recently diagnosed after visiting the Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield, with one now reported deceased, according to WHDH.
The deceased Massachusetts resident's identity remains undisclosed, and a probing investigation is underway to trace the source of exposure, the resort said it is “fiercely committed to the well-being of all those who walk through the door,” reported by Boston 25 News.
Legionnaires’ disease, caused by Legionella bacteria commonly found in water and soil, is contracted via inhalation of contaminated water aerosols but is not transmitted by drinking or contact with water. Officials are scrutinizing water systems such as showers, hot tubs, faucets, and other communal facilities as potential sources of the bacteria, which cause severe pneumonia-like symptoms, as stated in Boston 25 News.
