“During our closure, we have been working closely with the Georgia Department of Public Health, Fulton County Board of Health and environmental experts to conduct testing to ensure there is no threat of Legionella infection,” Peduzzi wrote. “A thorough cleaning of the hotel’s entire water distribution system has been completed as a precautionary measure, including cleaning, scrubbing and chlorination of all water features.”
He said the hotel is awaiting more test results before announcing a reopening date.
Legionnaires’ disease is treated with antibiotics, and most people who get sick make a full recovery, according to the state health department. However, people at an increased risk of illness tend to be 50 or older, current or former smokers, people with chronic lung disease or weak immune systems.
About one in 10 people with Legionnaires’ disease dies, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 7,500 US cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported to the CDC in 2017, the agency said, adding that it’s likely an underestimate because the illness is underdiagnosed.