Legionnaires' Outbreak Linked to Crunch Fitness Location

An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has been linked to a Crunch Fitness location in Garden City. 

According to KTVB, Crunch Fitness member David Porter was spent eight days in the Saint Alphonus Intensive Care Unit after contracting the disease. 

"I didn't know if I was going to live," Porter told KTVB.

Porter was one of three cases of Legionnaires that were linked to the fitness gym. 

Curtis Loveless, community and environmental health division administrator, confirmed that the cases were linked back to the Crunch Fitness location.

"It is a bacteria that will live in freshwater, typically water that is warmer in temperature," Loveless said. "It will often become aerosolized and inhaled by humans and then get into the lungs and cause symptoms similar to that of pneumonia."

Porter said he'd used the spa at Crunch Fitness several times about a week before he got sick. Symptoms started with a cough with turned into a fever and breathing problems. He was diagnosed after a day in the hospital. 

"By that time, I was hallucinating because it blocks oxygen to your brain," Porter said.

Loveless said that CDH collected samples from the aquatic area after the second case was reported on June 7, but all samples came back negative. Loveless noted that Crunch Fitness closed down the location to resolve any problems, and he believes there is no longer any threat to public health. 

"No one should have any concern with continuing to use those facilities," Loveless said, adding that all businesses with aquatic areas should adhere to the CDC's Model Aquatic Health Code. 

Loveless said Legionella outbreaks are very rare, and he is unaware of any other recent outbreaks in Idaho.  

The investigation is closed, and he said there have been no other cases reported.