LAUGHLIN (KTNV) — Health officials are investigating possible cases of Legionnaires' disease at a Laughlin hotel.
The cases are travel-related, according to the Southern Nevada Health District, and officials are directly notifying guests and staff who stayed or worked in specific areas of the hotel during times when exposure may have occurred.
"This targeted approach allows for timely outreach to individuals most likely to be affected, including providing health information and guidance on symptoms to watch for," the health district said in a statement to Channel 13 on Tuesday.
Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterial disease that may cause respiratory illness or pneumonia.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease are similar to those of pneumonia, so it may be difficult to diagnose. Signs of the disease can include: a high fever, chills, cough and fatigue or weakness. Some people may also suffer from muscles aches and headaches.
Most people who are exposed do not get sick, but some people are more at risk than others. Some factors that put people at an increased risk of getting sick include being age 50 years or older; being a current or former smoker; having a chronic lung disease; having a weakened immune system or taking drugs that weaken the immune system; having cancer; or having underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure.
Legionnaires’ disease can be very serious and can even cause death.
Most cases can be successfully treated with antibiotics, and healthy people usually recover from the infection.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the Health District continues to work with the property to ensure appropriate remediation and follow-up testing of water systems.
