MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa —

The number of Legionnaires' disease cases in Marshall County continues to rise, leaving residents increasingly concerned about their safety and the well-being of vulnerable populations.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported 54 confirmed cases of the Legionella bacteria as of Monday, an increase from 40 cases reported just last Friday. In response, local health officials are ramping up efforts to identify the source of the outbreak.

Marshall County Public Health Director Sydney Grewell announced in a video posted Friday that testing of cooling towers in the Marshalltown area is underway. She also urged cooling tower owners to take immediate action by shocking the water in their systems to disinfect them.

"As you would think of shocking like a poo

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