TURTLE CREEK (KDKA) – An outbreak of Legionnaires disease in Turtle Creek has the Allegheny County Health Department keeping tabs on the number of people getting sick and the locations involved.

On Tuesday, eight cases were confirmed at the LGAR Health and Rehab Center, which includes a long-care nursing home.

Now, three more cases were diagnosed in the nearby Hamilton Hills Personal Care Facility.

KDKA’s Ralph Iannotti reports:

Sharon Silvestri, who heads up the Allegheny County Infectious Disease program, said the investigation is ongoing.

“The investigation will be ongoing. The outbreak at the Hamilton Hills has just started; our first case was reported to us on the sixth. At that time, we made sure that testing for the facility, for legionella, was done,” she said. “As soon as that testing was completed, we started a heat and flush procedure, which will temporarily get rid of the legionella in the water system.”

It appears the water supply in both places has played a role in the recent outbreak, but the exact cause is unknown.

Allegheny County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dixon said that nothing has been ruled out. One possibility is perhaps the warm weather this summer played a part.

Bottled water is being distributed at both of the affected facilities and efforts are being made to disinfect the water.

Those most susceptible are the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

KDKA’s Brenda Waters reports:

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