The Quapaw Bath and Spa in Hot Springs closed Saturday after preliminary tests indicated the water is contaminated with Legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease, a National Park Service spokesman said.
Three visitors to the spa in the past year have contracted Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia that spreads from inhaling legionella bacteria, according to Brent Everitt, spokesman for the National Park Service's Midwest Regional Office. Whether these three cases were a direct result of having visited the spa was unclear, he said.
The Hot Springs National Park tested water throughout the spa, and preliminary tests returned positive for the bacteria in three inside areas and in a fountain, Everitt said. The spa was immediately closed upon receiving the results so the officials may begin disinfecting the facility.
People who experienced symptoms of Legionnaires' disease — severe coughing, fever, muscle aches, shortness of breath and headaches — in the past two weeks and recently visited the spa should seek medical attention and notify the park if they test positive for Legionnaires'.