Inmate Visits Cancelled At San Quentin Due To Case Of Legionnaires Disease

SAN QUENTIN (CBS SF) -- Visiting time for family members of prisoners at San Quentin in Marin County has been halted this weekend as health and prison officials investigate a case of Legionnaires disease, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Legionnaires disease is a severe type of pneumonia. An inmate was diagnosed Wednesday and is in stable condition, CDCR officials said.

Officials with the Marin County Public Health Department, California Correctional Health Care Services and CDCR continue to investigate the source of the disease, CDCR officials said.

The disease is spread through mist, moisture and steam and prison officials have limited the use of water at the prison, the officials said. Portable showers for inmates arrived Saturday at the prison, prison officials said.

Three more inmates are in the hospital with symptoms of pneumonia, but have not been diagnosed with Legionnaires disease, CDCR officials said.

Health officials at the prison are watching about 45 other inmates for symptoms, but none have been diagnosed, according to the CDCR. Staff members of the prison's medical unit are treating the 45, CDCR officials said.

San Quentin receives water from the Marin County Municipal Water District and stores it in a three million gallon tank on prison property, CDCR officials said.