Legionnaires’ disease claims another life in NC, now 3rd confirmed death
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BURKE COUNTY, NC (WLOS) — Burke County health officials confirm a resident died last week after battling Legionnaires’ disease.
The son of Lula Hudson tells News 13 his mother died Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. Lula Mae Johnson Hudson, 89, of Morganton, visited the NC Mountain State Fair last month and was later hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease.
As of Oct. 14, 140 cases of Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac Fever had been reported in residents of multiple states and North Carolina counties who attended the NC Mountain State Fair, held September 6-15, 2019 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher.
Brian Johnson said he and his mother went to the Davis Event Center first, then they went to the Expo Building to see the competitive exhibits and then the heritage exhibits.
“That’s all she wanted to do was to tour the exhibit halls,” her son said.
Hudson would have been 90 on Dec. 5.
“We knew we were going to have her a few more years, even at that age, because she was in such good health and doing so well,” Johnson said.
“The fair is supposed to be a fun place. The fair has fond memories. We do this every year. It’s this tragedy that’s took place at a place with so many fond memories. Now, we have this memory.”
As of Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, the state is reporting, county of residence confirmed cases:
Buncombe County: 49
Burke County: 1
Caswell County: 1
Cherokee County: 1
Gaston County: 1
Granville County: 1
Haywood County: 12
Henderson County: 34
Jackson County: 3
Madison County: 6
McDowell County: 5
Mecklenburg County: 4
Mitchell County: 2
Polk County: 1
Rutherford County: 3
Transylvania County: 3
Union County: 1
Watauga County: 1
Yancey County: 1
Out of State: 10
The total number of confirmed cases is 140 at this time.
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