Two New Legionnaires’ Cases at Illinois Veterans Home

The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs says two more residents at its Quincy veterans home have been sickened by Legionnaires' disease, boosting the total number of people stricken in the outbreak to 52.

The veterans agency said Tuesday that while there have been two new cases, no residents of the 129-year-old facility have been hospitalized or treated for Legionnaires-like symptoms since Aug. 31.

Seven veterans home residents and a Quincy resident have died from the infectious disease outbreak first reported in early August.

The last death from the illness occurred on Sept. 1.

All of those sickened by Legionnaires' disease have been elderly and had underlying medical conditions that increased their risk of exposure to the Legionella bacteria.