A former resident of the long-term health care facility in South Strabane Township in Washington, Pennsylvania has been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. It is reported that the former resident was “in and out of a number of facilities,” and preliminary testing of the facility at 90 Humbert Lane was negative for Legionella bacteria. As a precaution, the residents, staff, and visitors to the facility are being provided bottled water and bagged ice, and shower use is restricted. The final testing results are expected to be in by the end of the week. If you believe you or someone you know has…
Legionella, the Legionnaires’ disease causing bacteria, is ubiquitous in the natural environment, especially in damp soil and water. While the organism is present more or less everywhere, water temperatures of 72–107 °F are ideal conditions for rapid growth. This explains why outbreaks of Legionnaire’s disease become more common in the summer months and have often been linked to contaminated artificial water systems – especially air conditioning units in large buildings which use water for cooling. Studies of associations between weather variables and sporadic cases of legionnaires’ disease suggest that as temperatures rise globally so too does the prevalence of environments conducive to legionella growth.…
Two people were hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease after visiting the Foothill Ranch community pool and spa located at 27021 Burbank in Foothill Ranch, California. While it was originally unclear whether or not the community pool and spa was the cause of these illnesses, testing performed by the Orange County Health Care Agency revealed that three samples from the spa tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Legionella bacteria can be found in warm hot tub water when it is not properly cleaned or disinfected. When this water becomes aerosolized and inhaled through the lungs, a person may contract Legionnaires disease, a severe type of…
One person is dead and six others have been hospitalized due to their illness with Legionnaires’ disease over the past 11 days in the Lenox Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. The woman who passed was in her 90s and reportedly had underlying health issues, says the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The source of the outbreak is not yet known, but cooling systems within a half mile radius of those who have fallen ill are being tested as possible sources. The results from the 116 cooling systems under investigation may take up to two weeks. Legionnaires’ disease is caused…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a requirement to all healthcare facilities on June 2, 2017 to reduce the risk of the Legionella bacteria in their water systems. This bacteria is the cause of Legionnaires’ disease. CMS issued this requirement because of numerous recent Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in hospitals and long-term care facilities. As stated in the regulation; The hospital must provide a sanitary environment to avoid sources and transmission of infections and communicable diseases. There must be an active program for the prevention, control and investigation of infections and communicable diseases[i] The same type of regulation…
A recent New York Times article reported that Michigan state officials have been charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of an 85 year old resident of Flint MI. Conviction could lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison. According to the article, the state officials knew about Legionnaires’s disease being associated with the Flint water supply as early as 2014 but did not respond to the problem in a timely fashion, and, more importantly, failed to tell the public about the growing number of Legionnaires’ disease cases. This newspaper article points up a number of issues surrounding Legionnaires’ disease.…
There have been numerous recent reports about two confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease of persons associated with the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Unfortunately, Las Vegas has been the scene of a number of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in past years. Jules Zacher, Esq. has represented persons who had stayed at the Aria Resorts and Casino who had contracted Legionnaires’ disease. This representation included two lawsuits, one brought in state court in Nevada and the other in the U.S. District Court for Nevada. The litigation included significant investigation of the reason for the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease…
An unidentified East Harlem police officer has been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease. This diagnosis prompted NYC Department of Health officials to investigate the source of this illness. Following an investigation, Department of Health officials stated that Legionella, the Legionnaires’ Disease causing bacteria, was found in the workplace of the officer. This comes after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease killed 12 people and sickened 128 others in the South Bronx section of New York City in the Summer of 2015. For more information about the Legionnaires’ Disease case involving the police click here to red a New York Times article. If you…
Positive findings of Legionella bacteria were found throughout the water system in the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The investigation came about after two guests contracted Legionnaires ’ disease following their stay at the Rio Hotel in March and April. Test results conducted by The Southern Nevada Health District following the second reported case of the disease showed the presence of the bacteria. The company is now taking action to remediate the problem and disinfect the water. Guests are being alerted and are being relocated while remediation is taking place. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia…
Two weeks ago, a resident of the St. Paul’s community tested positive for presence of Legionella antigen. The community has since tested their facilities and are awaiting results to see if their community was the source of the bacteria. Community leaders have expressed in a statement released in the Record Argus that “At this time, we are taking an abundance of caution as we investigate.” The CEO of St. Paul’s, Chris Wright, advised that the efforts being taken include enlisting the assistance of consultants and discussing as a group about where any of the community’s risks for the bacteria may…