CAMARILLO : Hospital Outbreak Is Walking Pneumonia
A pneumonia outbreak at Camarillo State Hospital was identified Tuesday by national authorities as walking pneumonia, a mild but highly contagious disease that is treated effectively with antibiotics.
As of Tuesday, 59 Camarillo State Hospital and Developmental Center residents and eight employees had been diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia, said Ventura County Public Health Officer Gary M. Feldman.
Dr. Jeffrey Klausner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has been investigating the outbreak at the hospital since last week. CDC laboratories confirmed the mycoplasma pneumonia.
Camarillo State Hospital officials said they are taking precautions, including using masks and isolating infected patients, to contain the pneumonia outbreak.
Walking pneumonia is spread from one infected person to another by coughing in close proximity, so it is easily spread in institutional settings, physicians said.
No vaccine is available, but the pneumonia ceases to be contagious about 48 hours after antibiotics are taken.
Symptoms include fever, malaise, headache and cough.
Other sporadic cases have been found throughout the county, so those experiencing the symptoms should contact their physicians.
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