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Second Legionnaires' Case Reported In Chesterton Schools

CHICAGO (CBS) – A child has tested positive for Legionnaires' disease in the Duneland School Corporation in Northwest Indiana, which closed its schools earlier this month after an employee tested positive for the disease.

Chesterton Middle School and Westchester Intermediate School were closed on Oct. 4 after the school district received elevated water testing results for the Legionella bacteria. The schools reopened the following Monday on Oct. 7.

Following this closure, a parent of a child who attends the YMCA Early Learning Academy, housed at the middle school, had her child tested on Oct. 7 after showing the symptoms. The school corporation was alerted of the positive test on Thursday.

The Duneland School Corporation said it will be reviewing absence records between Aug. 1 and Oct. 10 to determine any other cases. Students or employees who were absent for three or more consecutive days will be contacted to identify if they had pneumonia-like symptoms.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The bacteria grow in water, and the disease is not contagious.

People who are heavy smokers, elderly or already have reduced ability to resist infection are more likely to contract the disease.

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