At least six San Quentin State Prison inmates were ill with Legionnaires’ disease and dozens more under observation yesterday, prompting a weekend halt to visitors, no hot meals, and limited drinking water supplies at California’s oldest prison.

California Corrections Department representative Dana Simas says three different prisoners likewise are hospitalized subsequent to showing pneumonia-like indications, yet they haven’t been determined to have the malady.

Medical professionals diagnosed the inmate’s Legionnaires disease Thursday afternoon, and prison officials initially shut off water at the prison to keep the disease from spreading. San Quentin Prison Lt. Sam Robinson ordered 100 portable toilets for 2,000 inmates who are actually using the facilities. Symptoms include fever, cough, chills and muscle aches.

The disease occurs when contaminated water is inhaled into the lungs. “They’re staying in their cells because we don’t have the staff to monitor movements while we conduct the investigation”, Simas said.

Evaluation results on the remaining prisoners were anticipated as early as this weekend as Marin County and penitentiary health officials hunt for the cause. Some are being treated at San Quentin and some have been moved to outside hospitals.

Health officials have since declared that outbreak over.

The prison’s water comes from the Marin Municipal Water District and is stored in a prison water tank that can hold about 3 million gallons, Simas said. There are a total of 3,742 inmates at San Quentin.

The inmate with Legionnaires disease was diagnosed in a timely way, he said, and is now receiving antibiotics. More or less 30 more prisoners are being observed as they have showed some symptoms of pneumonia.

“Even with just one case, to be taking these steps is going to ensure that the potential spread is going to be minimized, ” said Willis, adding that county public health officials are pleased with the rapid response by the prison.

The most notorious outbreak of Legionnaires’ was in Philadelphia in 1976, when approximately 200 people attending a hotel convention contracted the disease, and 34 died. It’s known as especially unsafe for elderly individuals and people that have underlying health problems.