Guests moved from Miami hotel after Legionnaires’ disease strikes 3 since October; 1 killed

Legionnaires’ hits 3 former guests of Miami hotel

MIAMI — About 300 guests have been moved from a luxury Miami hotel after Legionnaires’ disease struck at least three former guests since October.

Health officials said Monday that one former guest at the EPIC Hotel died at the end of October after leaving for a cruise. The other two guests fell ill in November.

Investigators found the hotel installed a water filter powerful enough to remove chlorine from its city-supplied water, encouraging bacterial growth.

Current guests were sent to nearby hotels Saturday to prevent potential contact with the bacterial disease that can be transmitted by contaminated water vapor.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates between 8,000 to 18,000 patients are hospitalized each year with the disease.