WASHINGTON — Residents at a senior living community in Northwest D.C. are being instructed to take extra caution after two confirmed diagnoses of Legionnaires’ disease.
The D.C. Department of Health said the residents lived at the Ingleside at Rock Creek Retirement Living, and the department is now working with DC Water and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify the cause.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by exposure to Legionella bacteria, which can be found in building water systems and inhaled. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease can include fever, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches.
Not everyone who is exposed to the bacteria gets sick, but some groups of people — such as the elderly, those who smoke or people with weakened immune systems — might be at a higher risk of getting an infection.
The health department has advised water restrictions until filters are installed on sink faucets and showers to prevent the disease from spreading.
The health department is not releasing the conditions of the residents, but DC Water says there is no risk to the general population.
