Legionella bacteria were discovered at the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System in January during routine testing. The hospital imposed water restrictions at the facility to prevent infection after the bacteria were discovered in multiple sinks. Testing occurred from Jan. 6 to Jan. 27 during which nine sinks and two supply lines tested positive for Legionella, bacteria known to cause a more virulent form of pneumonia. Water restrictions were put in place on Jan. 28 and will last 14 days. There have been no reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease associated with the VA Pittsburgh as a result of this recent testing.…
The New York State Health Department has implemented mandatory testing within hospitals and nursing homes. These tests are for the presence of Legionella within cooling towers and drinking water systems, and the results are to be reported to state health officials. The results of these tests performed at Cortland Regional Medical Center this fall were positive for the presence of Legionella bacteria. However, in a statement the medical center indicated there are no confirmed cases of hospital-acquired Legionella in association with these bacteria. Since the bacteria’s discovery, temporary water sources were implemented where needed, and more permanent ionization units have…
On December 20, 2016, a Complaint was filed in Lucas County Common Pleas Court by seven employees of Lucas County Department of Job & Family Services after the employees developed illnesses from exposure to Legionella bacteria. The cooling system within the company building located at 3210 Monroe Street, tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Six of the seven Plaintiffs are still employed at the company, while the seventh has since retired. The Complaint was filed as a product liability case against Watcon Inc. of South Bend, Ind.; Baltimore Aircoil Co. of Baltimore, Md.; Sarmento Mechanical Sales Inc. of Sylvania; the city…
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services was previously prohibited from accessing documents about Legionella cases at McLaren-Flint Hospital due to a protective order. However, now the Michigan Court of Appeals has ordered the hospital to produce these documents. The Department was trying to obtain these documents to investigate the cases of Legionnaires’ disease caused by the contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. According to a spokesperson for Governor Rick Snyder – Anna Heaton – the Protective Order prevented the Department from performing their duties of protecting the public. The Hospital felt the Protective Order was necessary due to lawsuits…
Michigan Attorney General, Bill Schuette, filed additional charges, including two against former state-appointed emergency managers, on Tuesday, December 20th in relation to the Flint water crisis. Darnell Earley and Gerald Ambrose were charged on Tuesday with multiple 20-year felonies as a result of their failure to protect Flint residents from health hazards caused by contaminated drinking water. Additional Flint city employees, Howard Croft and Daugherty Johnson, were charged alongside Earley and Ambrose with felony counts of false pretenses and conspiracy to commit false pretenses in the issuance of bonds to pay for a portion of the water project that led…
The Kingsway nursing home in Schenectady, New York conducted routine and mandated testing for the presence of Legionella bacteria. On November 23, 2016, the results indicated that 30 percent of the water samples were positive for non-pneumonic Legionella. The facility flushed the pipes with scalding hot water (160 degrees) to kill off the bacteria momentarily while it arranges for a long-term solution. The strain of Legionella found at the facility is not typically responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, but could possibly cause pneumonia or other illnesses. New York State regulations require that nursing homes test their potable water and report results if…
A resident of the Charlestown retirement community tested positive for Legionella bacteria and is currently hospitalized. Baltimore County health officials have ordered testing of the water in the Caton Woods Building within the community. Dan Dunne, spokesman for the community, indicated that Caton Woods is a new building and only a dozen or so residents currently live there. New residents were in the process of being moved in, but this has since been halted. The source of the bacteria that caused the resident’s illness has not yet been determined, and the results of the water testing performed at the Caton…
La Quinta Inn & Suites Memphis Airport Graceland was found responsible in September of 2016 for an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease among guests who stayed there between the months of July and September of 2016. Marlene Casas, 51, was a guest of the hotel during that time, and subsequently became ill with Legionnaires’ disease. Acencion Casas filed a lawsuit on Marlene’s behalf in federal court on Tuesday. She was reported to have spent a total of 22 days in the hospital, including 10 days in the ICU. Owners of the inn, La Quinta Holdings Inc., and Minesh and Jagruti Patel, allegedly failed…
A cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases has appeared in the southeastern part of New Mexico. Since the first week of October this year, six patients from Chaves County have been reported ill with the disease. Two of these individuals– a 69-year old woman and a 65-year old woman – have passed away. The six who became ill were known to have other health issues that increased their risk of developing Legionnaires’ disease. The New Mexico Department of Health is working alongside Eastern New Mexico Medical Center to determine the source. The six known cases are among individuals who live in the…
Delta Cooling Towers, a New Jersey-based manufacturer of cooling towers, has unveiled a product that they hope will prevent the spread of Legionella bacteria. The cooling towers are made of an anti-microbial resin that has been treated with additives to prevent the growth of microorganisms. The plastic towers are also less affected by water treatments than metal towers–corrosive treatments in metal towers can release nutrients that feed Legionella bacteria. John Flaherty, president of Delta Cooling Towers, mentioned in a statement that this innovation is only one part of the process of safe water management. Competent and consistent maintenance of cooling towers is…