The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in July 1976, when it hosted a statewide convention of the American Legion. Soon after, a pneumonia-like disease killed 29 people and sickened 182 more who had been in the hotel. The vast majority were members of the convention. The negative publicity associated with what became known as "Legionnaires' Disease" caused occupancy at the Bellevue-Stratford to plummet to 4 percent and the hotel finally closed on November 18, 1976. In 1977, Dr. Joseph McDade discovered a new bacterium, which was identified as the causative organism. It thrives in hot, damp places like the water of the cooling towers for the
2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach The 2006 North American "E. coli" outbreak was an outbreak from organic spinach. The outbreak occurred in September 2006 and its probable origin was an Angus cattle ranch that had leased land to spinach grower. At least 276 consumer illnesses and 3 deaths have been attributed to the tainted produce. In September 2006, there was an outbreak of food-borne illness caused by "Escherichia coli" ("E. coli") bacteria found in uncooked spinach in 26 U.S. states. By October 6, 2006 199 people had been infected, including three people who died and 31