The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) is investigating Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas following two cases of Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal pneumonia-like illness caused by bacteria found in water drops. According to an SNHD press release, one case occurred in December 2023 and the other in June 2024. Such incidents have been periodic occurrences at Las Vegas hotels and casinos over the years, including a high-profile outbreak at the 2017 World Series of Poker.
The announcement marks the second time within a year that health officials have investigated Caesars Palace concerning a suspected outbreak of the disease.
Health officials say all water samples taken after the first case were negative. However, 19 additional samples were taken from the property’s Palace Tower this month following the second case. One of the 19 samples tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria that causes the illness.
SNHD says Caesars Palace is cooperating with the investigation and has taken steps to remedy the water system. Subsequent samples have come back negative.
What Is Legionnaires’ Disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia, a lung inflammation. One can contract it by inhaling the bacteria from water, mist, or soil.
The bacteria usually occur in natural freshwater sources, though they rarely make it into human lungs from there. According to the American Lung Assocation, the most common places people catch the disease are hotels, vacation rental properties, long-term care facilities, and hospitals. Showers, fountains, and central air conditioning systems create airborne droplets, which can then be inhaled.
Legionnaires’ disease is usually easy to treat with antibiotics, but it could be deadly if left untreated.
While most healthy adults won’t get sick after exposure to the bacteria, seniors, smokers, and people with an immune system deficiency are at higher risk of catching the disease. Symptoms, which are similar to those of pneumonia, start appearing between two and 10 days after exposure to the bacteria. The first signs of Legionnaires’ disease include:
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fever
Symptoms that appear a few days after the initial ones include:
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
While it mainly affects the lungs, in more severe cases, Legionnaires’ disease could also affect other organs, including the heart.
The Legionella bacteria can also cause Pontiac fever, a milder disease that resembles the flu. Pontiac fever is not as dangerous and usually goes away on its own, even if untreated.
Cases of Legionnaires’ in Las Vegas Include 2017 WSOP
The announcement might ring a bell to people following poker and the World Series of Poker (WSOP). During the 2017 WSOP, held at the Rio, seven guests contracted Legionnaires’ disease. In addition, the SNHD suspected 29 more unconfirmed cases, plus 56 suspected Pontiac fever cases. In total, there were 92 confirmed and suspected cases among WSOP guests, marking one of the largest outbreaks of the disease in recent times.
The bacteria had spread through the hotel’s water system, which subsequently underwent a year-long cleaning and disinfection process. Despite these efforts, the then Caesars-owned hotel likely suffered millions in losses and significant damage to its reputation.
Legionnaires’ disease cases are not uncommon across Las Vegas. As mentioned, this month’s cases are the second time the SNHD has investigated Caesars Palace over guests contracting the illness within a year. Last August, health officials announced two cases of guests at the hotel between August 2022 and August 2023. Similar to the most recent announcement, the property remediated the water system, and later samples were negative.
Caesars was not the only property associated with the illness in 2023. Also in August, a guest at the Orleans Hotel & Casino caught Legionnaires’ disease. Earlier in 2023, two guests of the Boyd Gaming property also caught the illness. Other cases at Las Vegas properties include:
- In 2011, six Aria Resort and Casino guests contracted the disease.
- In January 2012, one guest who stayed at Luxor Hotel and Casino died after contracting the illness. Two other guests who stayed at the property in 2011 also caught the disease, but water samples did not confirm the presence of the bacteria at the time.
In addition, outside of Las Vegas, two Caesars-owned Harrah’s Laughlin Hotel & Casino guests caught Legionnaires’ disease in 2018.
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