Health officials in Central Florida say they found potentially fatal bacteria in the water system at an assisted living facility.
The Florida Department of Health told local news stations in Orlando that it began investigating two months ago when an 80-year-old man almost died from Legionnaires' disease at Plantation Oaks Senior Living on South Orange Blossom Trail near Consulate Drive in Orange County.
Investigators say they found the bacteria that causes the disease in seven of the nine water samples they tested.
Officials have suggested the facility hire an expert to clean the water system, and that residents take sponge baths and use bottled water for drinking and brushing their teeth.
Legionnaires' disease can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, high fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
It can be fatal if not treated with antibiotics early enough.