An employee at the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has tested positive for Legionnaires' disease. The bacteria that causes the deadly illness was discovered in a cooling system at the downtown office building.
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The Bacteria Was Discovered in May
As the New York Post reports, the worker who tested positive for Legionnaires' disease and their present health condition are both unknown. Officials have not established whether the employee's condition is connected to the cooling system.
"The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was notified of one Los Angeles County employee who tested positive for Legionnaires' disease," a department spokesperson told reporters.
The bacteria was discovered in May 2026 while maintenance work was being performed on the cooling system. Officials said workers in the building were notified later in the year.
A Medical Examiner's office spokesperson did not answer the Post's inquiries, referring any questions to the Department of Public Health. The county said no other infections have been reported among those with shared exposure to the employee.
"To date, no additional cases have been identified with shared common exposures to this individual," officials stated.
What is Legionnaires' Disease?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia. It is caused by the bacterium Legionella.
Most people who become infected breathe in the bacteria from water or soil. Older adults, smokers, and those with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.
Symptoms can begin two to 10 days after someone comes into contact with the bacteria and include headache, muscle aches, high fever, cough, chest pain, nausea and vomiting, and shortness of breath.
Antibiotics treat the disease, but symptoms can linger in some infected people. It does not spread directly from person to person. Contaminated water systems can release droplets that carry the bacteria in the air.
County health officials said the bacteria is "commonly found in building plumbing systems, especially in older buildings." They added that healthcare providers must report "symptomatic cases," and public health authorities monitor high-risk settings.
