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Cuyahoga County health board confirms 1 deadly case of Legionnaires' disease, 11 total cases

Legionella is a bacteria found in air conditioning and central heating systems that causes Legionnaires' disease.

PARMA -- The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has confirmed that one person died after falling sick with Legionnaires' disease earlier this month.

The board has been investigating a recent outbreak of legionella as 11 cases have been reported within the Saint Columbkille Parish community in Parma.

The board said in an update issued Monday morning that a 93-year-old Parma woman was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease earlier this summer. She died July 5.

The age range for the 11 confirmed cases is from 74-93 years of age. The onset date of illness among cases is early June to mid-July of this year.

Legionella is a bacteria found in air conditioning and central heating systems that causes Legionnaires disease. Legionnaires' disease usually develops two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria, according to Mayo Clinic.

Saint Columbkille parishioners were notified that the air conditioning would be shut off inside the church as a precaution. The board has been conducting environmental sampling in the church. Results of those samples may take up to 10 business days to be determined.

MORE | 6 cases of legionella confirmed within St. Columbkille Parish community in Parma

The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland released the following statement about the reported legionella cases at St. Columbkille:

"St. Columbkille Parish is committed to ensuring the safety of its parishioners and all who may visit the parish. The parish continues to fully cooperate in the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s ongoing investigation into the potential cause of the reported cases of legionella involving St. Columbkille parishioners. Inspectors from the Board of Health have visited the parish multiple times in recent days and have found no evidence that St. Columbkille Parish is the cause of these cases. Additional testing is being conducted by the Board of Health today, although it may take several days or more before the results of that testing are received. In the meantime, St. Columbkille Parish is following all recommended actions provided by the Board of Health."

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