North Carolina

4th Legionnaires' disease death reported in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina health officials say a fourth person has died from Legionnaires' disease.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Resources said in a statement on Friday that its Division of Public Health has confirmed 141 cases involving residents from counties and multiple states. In addition to the deaths, 94 people were hospitalized.

[Another case of Legionnaires' disease confirmed in North Carolina]

Information gathered by local health officials showed that most patients attended the NC Mountain State Fair, which ran from Sept. 6-15 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher.

Officials have said those who were diagnosed with the disease may have walked by the hot tub displays.

On Thursday, DHHS reported a case of Legionnaires' in a person who didn't attend the fair, but instead went to the Agricultural Center for a quilt show.

A Cleveland County man has filed a lawsuit against two hot tub vendors. 

Jimmy Thomas said he was looking at hot tubs in the AG Center in September and 10 days later, he got very sick and was admitted to the hospital. 

The lawsuit names App Pro Billiards and Spa in Asheville, who was doing business at the fair. 

"He was standing by the hot tub, was looking at the hot tub to purchase one, and had been there for several minutes," attorney Fred Pritzker said. "So, I suspect he just breathed in the vapor right at the hot tub."

The lawsuit alleges that if the plaintiffs maintained their tubs properly, Thomas would not have gotten sick. 

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