(Mar 25, 2026) Southeast Delegation
HARRISBURG, March 25 – Patient advocates, disease experts, and water management officials joined state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Ed Neilson, D-Phila., at a news conference Monday at the Capitol in support of the legislators’ H.B. 2085, which is aimed at stopping the spread of a severe type of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease, that is on the rise in Pennsylvania. The disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which are found in freshwater, including water that supplies public water systems. Disease symptoms include high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and diarrhea. Smokers, the elderly, those with asthma, and those with chronic lung disease or suppressed immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the disease. “Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of Legionnaires’ infection and illness in the country, with case rates increasing over 65% over a five-year period and claiming 10% of the lives of those infected, according to the CDC,” Smith-Wade-El said. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to step up to protect its residents’ water sources, so we’ve introduced legislation that would require government agencies, public water systems and some building owners to maintain new minimum standards to better prevent, detect, and control cases of Legionnaires’ disease.” At the press conference, Neilson spoke about his personal experience contracting the disease and Gwen Read more