
At least 14 cases of Legionnaires' disease have been reported in central Florida.
In an email to state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, the Florida Department of Health revealed the outbreak is linked to a gym, reported ABC News affiliate WFTV.
The letter from the department did not list the name of the gym, but WFTV reported that a Crunch Fitness in Ocoee -- 12 miles west of Orlando -- had members reporting cases of Legionnaires' disease.
3 dead and at least 67 sick from growing Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City
Crunch Fitness told the station it is working with the health department, has closed off parts of the gym and is testing its pool and spa systems "out of an abundance of caution."
Neither the Florida Department of Health nor Crunch Fitness immediately returned ABC News' request for comment.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria in small droplets of water mixed in the air or contaminated water accidentally going into your lungs.
Legionella bacteria are found naturally in freshwater but typically grow best in warm water and in warm to hot temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The disease does not spread from person to person, but outbreaks can grow if the bacteria get into a building's water supply, including in shower heads, sink faucets, hot water tanks, heaters and other plumbing systems.
Mysterious outbreak in Argentina solved: Legionnaires' disease behind illness that sickened 11
Legionnaires has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021.
Although most people recover from Legionnaires' disease with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal.
About one out of every 10 people who develops Legionnaires' disease will die due to complications, according to the CDC. Among those who develop Legionnaires' disease during a stay in a health care facility, about one out of every four people will die, the federal health agency added.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
5 VIP Voice Exhibitions in Energized Movies01.01.1 - 2
10 Picturesque Campgrounds That Will Raise Your Outside Involvement with American05.06.2024 - 3
35 million tons of food go to waste yearly in the US. Experts share tips to help stop it27.11.2025 - 4
5 Advancement Developments in Biotechnology11.08.2023 - 5
IDF uncovers 7 km.-long Gaza terror tunnel where Hamas held Hadar Goldin20.11.2025
Greenland’s melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump is eyeing dangerous to extract
Health insurance premiums rose nearly 3x the rate of worker earnings over the past 25 years
Birds at a college changed beak shapes during the pandemic. It might be a case of rapid evolution
A definitive Manual for the Over-Ear Earphones
Sydney Sweeney is returning in 'The Housemaid's Secret': What to know about 'The Housemaid' sequel
Want to make America healthy again? Stop fueling climate change
Rediscovering Euphoria: Individual Accounts of Conquering Despondency
Carry Nature Inside with These Staggering Plant Decisions
You finally got a doctor's appointment. Here's how to get the most out of it













