The bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s disease was detected earlier this year in a cooling system connected with the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner’s office near downtown LA, and one County employee tested positive for the disease, public health officials told NBC4 Investigates.
The Department of Public Health did not identify where the employee worked or his or her condition, and a spokesperson for the Medical Examiner declined to answer questions and referred inquiries back to health officials.
The bacteria was detected during maintenance in May 2026, according to officials. Employees in the affected buildings were notified later in the year.
“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was notified of one Los Angeles County employee who tested positive for Legionnaire’s Disease,” a public health spokesperson emailed.
“To date, no additional cases have been identified with shared common exposures to this individual.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control describes Legionnaire’s disease as a serious pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria and says it’s usually treatable with antibiotics.
LA County Public Health said water droplets can become contaminated with the bacteria, which is “commonly found in building plumbing systems, especially in older buildings.”
The county said healthcare providers are required to report “symptomatic cases” and said it monitors high risk settings.
