Legionnaires' Disease Found Among Disneyland Visitors

Disneyland shut down two of its cooling towers after dozens of visitors were diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, a severe lung infection.

Orange County health experts said they are investigating 12 cases in total. Of those, eight patients were Disneyland visitors, while a ninth person worked at the resort, reports the Orange County Register.

One patient who did not visit Disneyland died, reports The Associated Press.

The cases were discovered about three weeks ago, the Orange County Health Care Agency said Friday. The patients ranged in age from 52 to 94 and all spent some time in Anaheim.

The agency said there haven't been any new cases since September, adding, "There is no known ongoing risk associated with this outbreak."

Disneyland officials were told of the cases on Oct. 27 after the two cooling towers were found to have higher levels of Legionella bacteria than normal.

Disney stopped using them on Nov. 1 to disinfect them, but they were using them again four days later. They were shut down indefinitely on Tuesday so officials can make sure they are free of the bacteria.

According to the Mayo Clinic, people cannot catch legionnaires' disease from contacting patients, but from inhaling the legionella bacteria. The disease usually develops two to 10 days after exposure and begins with a headache, muscle pain, chills and a high fever, the Mayo Clinic explains.

Other symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing (including coughing up blood or mucus), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and confusion.

Disneyland's cooling towers are not accessible to the public. They are used to provide cooled water for refrigeration and other uses, excluding drinking water.