Health

3 deaths reported after Legionnaires' disease outbreak at senior living facility

Published

1 year ago

September 6, 2024

3 deaths reported after Legionnaires' disease outbreak at senior living facility

Three senior citizens have died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease — a form of pneumonia that can spread via water — at an assisted living facility in Albany, New York, according to reports.

The Albany County Department of Health was first notified of a “cluster of cases” at Peregrine Senior Living on Aug. 30, according to a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

“We began an immediate investigation and the assisted living facility was placed on water restrictions,” a spokesperson said in the statement.

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A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30.

Half of those tested positive for Legionnaires’, according to the health department.

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments. (iStock)

“Three who tested positive have died; two of the people who died were hospitalized for other health issues,” the statement continued.

The New York State Health Department and Albany County Department of Health have tested water samples taken from the facility.

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“Legionella bacteria was present in some samples and further testing is being done on those samples,” the Albany health department told Fox News Digital.

“Peregrine has installed water filters so that some showers and bathrooms are available for use.”

When contacted by Fox News Digital, the New York State Department of Health said it is working closely with the Albany County Department of Health and Peregrine Senior Living to investigate and respond to the outbreak.

A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30, according to the local health department.

“State and county health officials have been on site to collect environmental water samples, which are being tested at the State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, and Peregrine has posted signage, implemented water restrictions and installed shower filters at the facility,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue to work with the facility and county health officials to protect the health and safety of the residents living at Peregrine.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Peregrine Senior Living requesting comment.

What is Legionnaires’ disease?

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.

The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments.

However, it can grow and spread indoors via shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with the disease. “Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person.” (iStock)

When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with Legionnaires’ disease.

Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically spread from person to person, per the CDC.

“Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person,” the New York State Department of Health confirmed to Fox News Digital. “It is not a communicable disease and there is no threat to the community at large.”

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Individuals at highest risk include smokers and those with coexisting pulmonary disease, according to Dr. Nathan Goodyear, medical director of Brio-Medical in Arizona, previously told Fox News Digital.

“Other risk factors include advancing age, cardiovascular disease, obesity and compromised immune systems,” Goodyear previously told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms of the infection

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure.

The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:

Cough
Fever
Shortness of breath
Muscle aches and headaches

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches and headaches. (iStock)

Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.

“The nature of the symptoms is not necessarily what differentiate Legionella from other causes, but history of exposure from ‘human-made reservoirs,’ though this may be hard to discern early on in infection and/or in an outbreak,” said Goodyear.

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“Cancer is also a comorbidity of Legionnaires’ disease,” the doctor added.

Those who have any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, the CDC advises.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample.

Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics.

In some patients, however, serious illness can lead to lung failure or death, per the CDC.

Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample. (iStock)

Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a health care facility, according to the CDC.

“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Goodyear told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”

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Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin.

“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals … but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.

Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from complications, according to the CDC.

Currently, there are no vaccines for the disease.

The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria.

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The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.

Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics. (iStock)

To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.

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“Advancing age is a given in life, and immune dysfunction correlates with advancing age,” added Goodyear.

“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”

Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, Goodyear noted.

Anyone who has questions about legionella can visit the Albany County Department of Health’s website at www.albanycountyny.gov/departments/health/legionnaires-disease-legionellosis.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

Matt Damon’s Gluten-Free Diet Helped Him Lose 18 Pounds

Published

9 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Matt Damon’s Gluten-Free Diet Helped Him Lose 18 Pounds

Matt Damon’s Weight Loss: Actor Drops 18 Lbs with This Diet | Woman’s World

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Health

Deadly cancer risk could drop with single 10-minute workout, study suggests

Published

9 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Deadly cancer risk could drop with single 10-minute workout, study suggests

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A single 10-minute workout may trigger blood changes that help fight colon cancer.

That’s according to new research from scientists at Newcastle University, who found that exercise quickly changes the blood in ways that affect colon cancer cells in the lab.

In the study, the U.K. researchers exposed colon cancer cells to human blood serum collected immediately after exercise, finding that the cells repaired DNA damage faster and showed gene activity patterns linked to slower growth.

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The blood samples came from 30 adults who had just completed a short, high-intensity cycling workout that lasted about 10 to 12 minutes, according to a press release.

Even a 10-minute burst of intense exercise may send protective signals through the blood that affect colon cancer cells, researchers say. (iStock)

Samuel T. Orange, an associate professor at Newcastle University and one of the study’s authors, spoke with Fox News Digital about the findings.

“Our findings show that exercise rapidly triggers molecular changes in the bloodstream that can act directly on colon cancer cells, reshaping gene activity and supporting DNA damage repair,” he said.

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The results suggest that even brief activity can make a difference. “Every movement matters. Exercise doesn’t need to last hours or happen in a gym,” Orange added.

The research suggests that exercise quickly triggers changes in the blood that affect colon cancer cells and helps support DNA repair. (iStock)

One of the most surprising findings, according to the researcher, was how strong the biological response was after even a single workout.

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“Exercise altered the activity of more than 1,000 genes in colon cancer cells,” he shared.

Even brief bouts of activity can make a difference, the researcher said. (iStock)

The study findings suggest that the effect is driven by exercise-triggered molecules released into the bloodstream, sometimes referred to as “exerkines,” which act like chemical messengers and send signals throughout the body.

“Each time you exercise, you trigger biological signals that support health and resilience to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease,” Orange said.

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The researchers cautioned that the study was conducted using cancer cells grown in the laboratory, not in patients.

The findings are based on experiments using colon cancer cells grown in the lab, not studies conducted in people, the researchers noted. (iStock)

The study involved 30 healthy male and female volunteers between the ages of 50 and 78. Their blood samples were used to carry exercise-triggered signals to cancer cells grown in the lab.

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“These findings now need to be replicated in people with cancer,” Orange said. “We also need to better understand the longer-term effects of repeated exercise signals over time.”

Despite the limitations, the researcher said the findings strengthen the case for exercise as an important part of colon cancer prevention.

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“Each time you move your body and get a little breathless, you’re contributing to better health and may help influence biological processes linked to bowel cancer,” he added.

Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.

Health

Brain Health Challenge: Try a Brain Teaser

Published

21 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Brain Health Challenge: Try a Brain Teaser

Welcome back! For Day 4 of the challenge, let’s do a short and fun activity based around a concept called cognitive reserve.

Decades of research show that people who have more years of education, more cognitively demanding jobs or more mentally stimulating hobbies all tend to have a reduced risk of cognitive impairment as they get older.

Experts think this is partly thanks to cognitive reserve: Basically, the more brain power you’ve built up over the years, the more you can stand to lose before you experience impairment. Researchers still don’t agree on how to measure cognitive reserve, but one theory is that better connections between different brain regions corresponds with more cognitive reserve.

To build up these connections, you need to stimulate your brain, said Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at NYU Langone Health and the founder and chief medical officer of the telehealth platform Isaac Health. To do that, try an activity that is “challenging enough that it requires some effort but not so challenging that you don’t want to do it anymore,” he said.

Speaking a second language has been shown to be good for cognition, as has playing a musical instrument, visiting a museum and doing handicrafts like knitting or quilting. Reading is considered a mentally stimulating hobby, and experts say you’ll get an even bigger benefit if you join a book club to make it social. Listen to a podcast to learn something new, or, better yet, attend a lecture in person at a local college or community center, said Dr. Zaldy Tan, the director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Program at Cedars-Sinai. That adds a social component, plus the extra challenge of having to navigate your way there, he said.

A few studies have found that playing board games like chess can be good for your brain; the same goes for doing crossword puzzles. It’s possible that other types of puzzles, like those you find in brain teaser books or from New York Times Games, can also offer a cognitive benefit.

But there’s a catch: To get the best brain workout, the activity should not only be challenging but also new. If you do “Wordle every day, it’s like well, then you’re very, very good at Wordle, and the Wordle part of your brain has grown to be fantastic,” said Dr. Linda Selwa, a clinical professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School. “But the rest of your mind might still need work.”

So play a game you’re not used to playing, Dr. Selwa said. “The novelty seems to be what’s driving brain remodeling and growth.”

Today, we want you to push yourself out of your cognitive comfort zone. Check out an online lecture or visit a museum with your challenge partner. Or try your hand at a new game, below. Share what novel thing you did today in the comments, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Day 5.