THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 27, 1996 TAG: 9610270373
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: 28 lines
The state has confirmed seven cases of Legionnaire's disease in the New River Valley, the first documented outbreak of the illness in Virginia.
This is the first concentration of the disease, said Diane Woolard, an epidemiologist with the state Department of Health.
Dr. Jody Hershey, director of the New River Health District said: ``Public health officials now believe that this is likely an outbreak and suspect a connection between at least some of the cases.''
Hershey said the patients apparently contracted the disease about two weeks ago. Health officials were trying to identify other cases and determine how they are linked.
``This could lead to the identification of an environmental source responsible for this outbreak,'' Hershey said.
All had been hospitalized; two remain in critical condition, Hershey said. The other five have been released.
Legionnaires' disease, which causes pneumonia-like symptoms, generally attacks only people with weakened immune systems. It is not contagious.
For the entire state, 18 cases had been reported in 1996 before the latest ones, said a health surveillance coordinator. by CNB