CLEVELAND -- A spokeswoman for University Hospitals Case Medical Center says a 53-year-old woman has died from complications of community-acquired Legionnaires' disease.
Alicia Reale, of the University Hospitals Case Medical Center, said the woman, who lived in Northeast Ohio, died Thursday morning from the disease.
Her name is Elaine Stacer, of Brunswick. Her death comes as New York City is grappling with the largest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.
It's a form of pneumonia caused by breathing in mist contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. Ten people have died and 100 people have been diagnosed there.
"It's like a nightmare that you want to be woke up from," said Elaine's husband, Robert.
That nightmare started on July 22, when Elaine started complaining about headaches.
"It progressed from there," Robert said. "It just got worse and she's gone. She's not with us anymore."
People can get exposed to the bacteria from a variety of sources. The disease is easily diagnosed and can be treated with antibiotics but poses a serious risk to anyone with an underlying medical condition.
The family says they have no idea how she got Legionnaire's but would like to know.
"We don't want anyone else to lose a mom or a dad," Robert said.
A close family friend set up a GoFundMe page for Elaine Stacer's family.
The Medina County Health Department released a statement saying it is working to identify how Elaine was exposed to the Legionella bacteria.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Amy Edwards said she sees one or two cases a year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
