According to the CDC, The number of people with Legionnaires’ disease grew by nearly 4 times from 2000–2014. About 6,100 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported in the United States in 2016. However, because Legionnaires’ disease is likely underdiagnosed, this number may underestimate the true incidence.nnDr. Paul Edelstein, a Legionnaires’ disease researcher, has estimated that more than 100,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease could be occurring each year in the U.S.nnOne reason Legionnaires’ disease is falsely perceived as rare is that even when cases are detected, the public rarely hears about them. Only a small percentage of cases occur as part of the multi-case outbreaks that sometimes make the news. Cases of the disease are seldom publicized even when lawsuits are involved because most Legionnaires’ lawsuits are settled under terms of confidentiality.