New York Forces Rental Hot Tub Cleanup After 2 Legionnaires' Cases
Updated
Updated · CDC · Jun 11
New York Forces Rental Hot Tub Cleanup After 2 Legionnaires' Cases
3 articles · Updated · CDC · Jun 11
Summary
Two Legionnaires' disease cases were traced to a western New York vacation rental hot tub, prompting health officials to order the spa closed until it was remediated.
Whole genome sequencing linked Legionella from patient A's sputum to hot tub samples that differed by just 2 to 3 SNPs; all 3 hot tub samples tested positive while potable water samples did not.
After the owner reopened the hot tub without notifying the state, Erie County officials used a public nuisance law and a commissioner's order to force professional disinfection and follow-up testing.
Two successive post-cleanup sampling rounds found no viable Legionella, and the closure order was lifted on March 31, 2025, with weekly professional servicing put in place.
The report highlights a regulatory gap: private short-term rental hot tubs are exempt from rules covering public pools and some health care facilities, despite hot tubs' 100°F to 104°F temperatures favoring Legionella growth.