Michigan’s former chief medical executive had been briefed on potential Legionella contamination nearly a year before the information was made public, though he later denied having been involved in discussions about potential water contamination. Dr. Matthew Davis was the chief medical executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services until his departure in April 2015. He was later appointed to the Flint Water Task Force by Governor Rick Snyder. At the time of his appointment, legislators voiced concerns that his prior involvement with Snyder’s administration would create a conflict of interest as the task force investigated the water contamination. Davis…
Reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease are down in Flint, Michigan after the city changed the source of its water supply. The Flint River has become synonymous with lead contamination, but the city’s water supply was also home to dangerously high levels of Legionella bacteria. The spotlight on lead allowed the 2015-16 outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, the largest outbreak in recent times, to go relatively unnoticed. Over 90 people were sickened in Flint, 12 of them fatally, over an 18-month period. Experts have linked the outbreak to the city’s tainted water system. The finger-pointing debacle that ensued between government agencies…
Recent guests at a North Carolina hotel have contracted Legionnaires’ disease and hotel managers are taking steps to control exposure. Three individuals who stayed at the Meadowbrook Inn and Suites in the mountain resort town of Blowing Rock, NC have tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease. All of the affected guests had stayed at the hotel within 10 days before the onset of their symptoms, and all have undergone treatment and are recovering. The Meadowbrook Inn has a comprehensive water management system in place, including regular testing of water features such as pools and hot tubs. When the disease was reported,…
Testing last week revealed that the water system of a hospital in Pittsburgh, PA has been contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Allegheny General Hospital conducted tests for Legionella in their water supply after a cancer patient tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease. The patient had been discharged on May 20 for respiratory problems but had been readmitted four days later after a relapse; a urine test revealed that the patient had been infected with Legionella bacteria. Though hospital officials believe that the patient had been exposed to the bacteria outside of the hospital, they tested the hospital’s water supply and discovered Legionella…
Senior living facilities in Maryland and New York have reported the presence of Legionella bacteria, leading in some cases to Legionnaires’ Disease. A resident of The Commons, a senior living facility in Auburn, NY, tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease in early June. Officials conducted tests and found that the facility’s drinking water was contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. The facility has taken preventative measures to control the bacteria, following guidelines established by the New York Health Department. No new cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been reported. The Lutheran Village in Elliot City, MD has reported that two of their residents have…
The NYC Department of Health has announced a comprehensive plan to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City. Following the 2015 outbreaks in the South Bronx , Mayor de Blasio passed some of the nation’s toughest regulations on cooling towers. The city is now investing more than $7 million to enforce these regulations. Local Law 77, which focuses on preventative maintenance of the city’s 5,544 cooling towers, took effect on May 9, 2016. This law requires that cooling towers be registered with the city and that all cooling towers have plans in place to reduce outbreaks of…
New water risk management legislation has been passed in Queensland, Australia in the aftermath of a string of outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease at hospitals. A string of illnesses and deaths in hospitals has raised awareness of the risks of Legionnaires’ disease in Queensland. A 2013 outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at The Wesley Hospital, a private hospital in Brisbane, led to the tragic death of one cancer patient and placed another in intensive care. The bacteria was found in the hospital’s hot water system. This outbreak prompted a string of tests and responses, and the hospital put intensified water-testing measures…
Image via http://www.unclejohnshandymanservice.com An article from the Wall Street Journal elaborates on some investigations into Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the past 15 years. The results showed that the vast majority of outbreaks were caused by negligence on the part of maintenance employees who did not maintain biocides effectively, repair or change equipment on schedule, or did not adequately maintain the plumbing. These look like easily fixable problems, but it’s more complicated than it seems. The guidelines for preventing Legionella are not standards, and there are virtually no laws requiring specific Legionella prevention. This means…
The WorldMark Kapaa Shore Resort, a Wyndham Resorts hotel, was closed this week after two cases of Legionnaires’ disease were confirmed by the health department. The closure was done as a precaution and guests were moved to nearby hotels. Wyndham Resorts released a statement saying: “Recently, the Kapaa Shore Resort received confirmation that the presence of Legionella bacteria was found in two units at the resort,” the resort said, in an emailed statement. “As a precautionary measure, we are temporarily closing the resort and relocating owners and guests to nearby properties so that we can properly remediate and get the…
The CDC recently released news tools for Legionnaires’ disease investigations. The CDC online toolkit includes: Environmental Investigation Tools, Laboratory Investigation Tools, and a section to request CDC assistance. Example questionnaires, fact sheets, protocols, and educational videos to assist with outbreak investigations are also provided as part of the toolkit. To view this toolkit, please visit the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/health-depts/inv-tools-cluster/index.html