March 2021

March 22, 2021 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Spring Is Here, What You Need to Know About Gardening and Legionnaires’ Disease

Today is one of the first full days of spring, which means the beginning of gardening season for many homeowners and gardening enthusiasts. However, what most gardeners do not know is that they could be exposing themselves to Legionnaires’ disease. Legionella bacteria, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease, lives in most organic material. This means that it can live in bags of potting soil, as well as the soil in the ground. In a previous case our office worked on, a bag of potting soil tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Our client used the contaminated potting soil and became very…

March 19, 2021 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella Revisited: The Spa and Waterpark Case

This post highlights three past client’s cases to demonstrate the common scenarios where Legionnaires disease can be contracted. This post examines the potential sources of exposure that exist in a day spa and waterpark settings. For more information on the possible dangers of hot tubs, check out our blog post about it. In February 2017, our clients contracted Legionnaires disease following a visit to a local Sauna and Spa. Within days of each of their visits, they began suffering from symptoms that eventually led to their Legionnaires disease diagnosis. The spa offered a variety of amenities including hot tubs, spas, saunas,…

March 15, 2021 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Union County Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak, Could it be Cooling Towers?

There is currently an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Union County, New Jersey. The source of infection has not yet been identified. However, based on past cases that we have worked on we believe it is possible that the source of this outbreak could be cooling towers. In July and August 2015, there was an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in the Bronx that claimed 12 lives and infected at least 128 people. The outbreak caused widespread concern and weeks of uncertainty among residents. Thanks to the hard work of epidemiologists and investigators, the source of the outbreak was identified: a…

March 15, 2021 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Home Hot tubs, Helpful or Harmful? What Manufactures Are Not Telling You

Growing hot tub sales could prove to be problematic. Most often, hot tub manufacturers and installers do not warn those buying hot tubs of the possibility that their hot tub could infect them with Legionnaires disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to most of the country spending more time at home than ever before. Subsequently, this has led to a huge increase in the sale of hot tubs for residential use. Hot tubs can be beneficial. They are proven to reduce muscle pain and stress levels. However, the growing number of hot tub owners could prove to be dangerous. Hot…

March 6, 2021 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionnaires Disease Outbreak in Union County, New Jersey

There is an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires disease unfolding in Union County, New Jersey. Fourteen individuals have been confirmed to have Legionnaires disease and one person has died as a result of the disease. These cases were all reported between February 3rd through February 26th. The New Jersey Department of Health alongside local health officials are currently investigating this outbreak. They have identified some potential sources of the Legionella bacteria and have begun the process of removing it. They have warned any resident or visitor of Union County that is experiencing symptoms consistent with Legionnaires disease to seek medical attention. [1] If you have…