Legionnaires’ Disease Is Rising At An Alarming Rate In The U.S.

BSIP/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGESAcute bilateral pneumonia, aka Legionnaires’ disease, is seen on a chest X-ray.

BSIP/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

Acute bilateral pneumonia, aka Legionnaires’ disease, is seen on a chest X-ray.

"The waterborne bacterial infection kills 1 in 10 patients who contract it. And fighting outbreaks is a multi-front battle. 

Health officials are increasingly concerned about the continuous uptick of Legionnaires’ disease cases, which have risen steadily since 2000.

While the waterborne bacterial disease is relatively rare ― with 6,238 cases nationwide so far this year ― there has been a 13.6 percent increase in cases since this time last year. That’s nearly double the increase of 7.8 percent from 2015 to 2016 in the same time period." -Lauren Weber | Huffington Post