An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease took place at a western Illinois veterans' home. On Monday, the Illinois Department of Public Health said four people died among 29 sickened at the Illinois Veterans' Home at Quincy.

The outbreak was reported last week. The veterans’ home is Quincy, about 300 miles southwest of Chicago. For now, the names of those who lost their lives due to the outbreak or are infected have not been released.

Adams County Health Department Director of Clinical and Environmental Services Shay Drummond has suggested elderly and others who are sick and have immunity people that they should not visit the home.

One thing is sure that the outbreak has not spread outside the veteran’ home, said the authorities concerned. Officials are not sure of the source of the disease. Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman Ryan Yantis was of the view that the facility has limited access to water sources that may carry the legionella bacteria.

The outbreak follows other recent outbreaks taken place in New York City and has sickened inmates at a California prison. In New York, the respiratory illness has killed 12 people and sickened 128. At San Quentin State Prison, at least six inmates have fallen ill with Legionnaires' disease and many more are under observation.

The disease is a severe form of pneumonia, which is generally caused by infection. Majority of people suffer from it by inhaling the Legionella bacteria that cannot be passed among humans.