October 2, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Two Dead in Sheboygan County, WI

Last week, Sheboygan County’s health department reported a second death from Legionnaires’ disease. Although the specific source of Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, is unknown, cases of the bacterial disease were reported at Millipore Sigma in Sheboygan Falls and Pine Haven Christian Communities’ Oostburg location. A Millipore Sigma representative said in an email last week that a few employees reported flu-like symptoms and tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease after routine cleaning and maintenance of the site’s wastewater facility. The exposure is suspected to have come from a piece of equipment in the company’s wastewater treatment plant. Oostburg Village…

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September 30, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Health Officials in Hamilton, NJ Investigate Possible Legionella Outbreak

Hamilton Township officials announced Friday September 25, 2020 that a potential cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases has been discovered. Four township residents are confirmed to have contracted the disease, two of whom died. Sources at the New Jersey Department of Health say the residents began exhibiting symptoms between August 18 and August 24. Although relatively uncommon in New Jersey, officials have been quick to issue township-wide warnings. “If you’re not feeling well and have respiratory illness symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache I encourage you to speak with your medical provider,” said one…

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September 21, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Gardeners Should Wear Gloves and Masks: Here’s Why

Government officials have warned that gardeners are at a higher risk of catching Legionnaires’ disease because Legionella bacteria, which live in moist organic material, thrive in bags of potting mix and compost. One official says that cases typically spike in early November, but that in she sees cases notified from September onward due to an increase in gardening activity. Three weeks ago, a 59-year-old keen gardener was using potting mix to plant some seedlings in his greenhouse. He began to feel unwell but thought it was just the flu. But the fevers quickly turned to coughing up blood. He was…

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September 17, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

The CDC’s Positive . . . for Legionaries Disease

Ironically, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has closed several of its buildings in Atlanta because Legionella bacteria have been found in their water systems. These bacteria likely grew because of the pandemic shutdown. Legionella, which grows in warm or stagnant water, causes a deadly form of pneumonia. Left untreated, Legionnaires Disease can kill a person within weeks, and when treated properly can still take more than a year to recover from. The CDC says Legionella bacteria is a problem that people across the country need to be on the lookout for, especially now. The…

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August 31, 2020 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

For months, many businesses, buildings, and facilities have remained closed during the COVID-19 outbreak. The temporary shutdowns have likely resulted in a reduction of normal water use in the buildings, which can create dangerous conditions for returning occupants, as States are reopening their local economies. One microbial hazard businesses should consider when planning their reopening is Legionella. Legionella bacteria causes Legionnaires’ disease, a serious type of pneumonia. It is found naturally in freshwater environments, but can grow and multiply in common, human-made water systems like hot tubs, spas, showerheads, decorative fountains and water features, large plumbing systems, and cooling towers…

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August 20, 2019 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Tomahawk, WI – Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak at Rodeway Inn; two cases identified

The Lincoln County Health Department is investigating two confirmed cases of Legionnaires disease at a motel in Tomahawk.  Two guests who stayed at the Rodeway Inn and Suites contracted the disease.  Health department scientists are trying to find the source.  That motel has been shut down for treatment.  Legionnaires is called a naturally-occurring disease which can sometimes build up in showers, hot tubs and even plumbing systems. For a 100% free consultation, contact Jules Zacher today. THE MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY JULES ZACHER, P.C. FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE NOT LEGAL ADVICE OR A SUBSTITUTE…

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November 13, 2018 zacherlaw 0 Comments

English v US Approach to Legionella Control

As previously reported in a blog posted October 12, 2018, the US approach to controlling legionella is different from the United Kingdom. The UK approach is national in nature and very strict. Two recent examples include a leisure center in Walton-on-the-Naze being criminally prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive ( UK government agency responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare) for an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease two years ago. Another case involved a care home being fined 600,000 pounds (approximately $777,000.00) after pleading guilty to the death of a 90 year old who died…

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November 6, 2018 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Connecting the Dots-Second Washington Heights Outbreak Is Just The Tip of The Iceberg

Connecting the dots is part of what this blog is all about. You may remember that significant regulations were passed in New York City in 2015 because of the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease (see my blog of October 25, 2018). Unfortunately, these regulations are not being properly enforced by the city health department. As a result, 90% of the cooling tower cases heard by an administrative agency charged with enforcing the regulations have been dismissed. This is despite the fact that there has been 65% increase in Legionnaires’ disease cases from 2016 to 2017. Even Mayor De Blasio has criticized…

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November 5, 2018 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella is Ubiquitous

Every case involving Legionnaires’ disease that this office has been involved in has always had the defense attorney arguing that the bacteria causing Legionnaires’ disease is ubiquitous (found everywhere). By this the defense attorneys mean that because the bacteria legionella can be found naturally in nature, their clients should not be liable to pay money damages to my clients. What the defense attorneys don’t tell you is that although legionella bacteria may be found in water everywhere, it only causes disease such as Legionnaire’s disease when the property owner does not properly maintain the water system. Failure to properly maintain…

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October 25, 2018 zacherlaw 0 Comments

New York City Admits Still Does Not Know Where All Cooling Towers Are

New York City Council enacted a law in 2015 after a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Bronx. The law requires that every cooling tower in New York City be identified, registered and inspected on a regular basis. The city has admitted recently that it is not sure it has found all cooling towers, three years after the legislation was passed (the city health department uses experts on the street and satellite imagery to find cooling towers). This failure to even identify all cooling towers takes on added significance after one remembers that there have been two recent outbreaks…

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