Blog - Page 4 of 40 - Legionnaires' Disease Lawyer

May 23, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

NYC Health Department Investigating Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in Highbridge section

Following the diagnosis of ten confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the Highbridge section of the Bronx with the possibility of additional cases pending test results, the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene launched an investigation Saturday into the possible cluster of the airborne disease. According to city health officials the first case was confirmed on May 9, 2022. The health department is “sampling and testing water from all cooling tower systems” in the cluster area. However, they do not currently believe the outbreak is a result of plumbing systems in the buildings within the associated Zip…

May 19, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Three Confirmed Cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in Parsippany Hotel

Following the diagnosis of Legionnaires’ Disease in three guests who stayed at the Hilton/Hampton Inn Parsippany Hotel last year, the New Jersey Department of Health in coordination with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Health and Human Services Department has now opened an investigation. The guests visited the hotel, located at 1 Hilton Ct. between July 2021 and October 2021. The individuals range in age from 52 to 77 and have since recovered. After the second case was identified in February 2022, the Department in coordination with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Health and Human Services Department began an outbreak investigation that instructed…

May 17, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

DOH Continues Investigation of Hawai’i Hotel after Fourth Confirmed Case

Following two confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease from guests staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations in Waikiki in June 2021 and another confirmed case on March 6 or 7, 2022, the Hawai’i Department of Health has now confirmed an additional fourth case. The fourth case was diagnosed on April 26. The individual, a non-Hawai’i resident, stayed at the Grand Islander from April 16-18, 2022. “Legionnaires’ disease can potentially have severe consequences, and we encourage anyone who developed symptoms following a stay at the Grand Islander to contact a physician and DOH,” said Hawai’i State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble. The investigation…

May 17, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Four cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in Southwest Sydney

Following the diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease in four local men, South Western Sydney Local Health District has issued a reminder to Macarthur residents to ensure their cooling towers are being properly maintained. All four men are in their 60s and 70s and contracted the disease in the past five weeks, in Camden and Narellan. All four men are currently recovering. The Health District’s Public Health Unit, in collaboration with Camden Council is investigating the case. However, the specific source of the infections has yet to be identified. Director of Public Health Dr. Naru Pal said it was vital that cooling…

May 16, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Father of Five Left in Coma after Benidorm Trip

David Marshall, a retired union official, aged 79, was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease after visiting Benidorm, Spain. The symptoms started during his second week of a two-week stay at the four-star Hotel Presidente in Benidorm. After arriving back in the UK on August 3, David was rushed to Royal Blackburn Hospital where he was placed in a coma, and in intensive care for a month. He suffered organ failure that caused breathlessness and severe weight loss. A similar outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease occurred in 1973 when four tourists died at the Hotel Rio Park. However, at the time it was…

April 19, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Upcoming Study to Assess the Available Detection Methods for Legionella

In December 2020, the European Union (EU) revised the Drinking Water Directive by approving a new set of rules that extended Legionella monitoring to every potable water system in the EU. The new rules entered force on January 12, 2021, with new member states having two years to transpose them into national legislation. Member states are left free to determine their approach to testing, as they can choose the methods they find most appropriate for the purposes of sampling Legionella. In response to this, a new study has been initiated in Italy comparing the culture methods of testing for Legionella…

April 17, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Third Confirmed Case of Legionnaires’ Disease at Hawaii Resort

In addition to two already confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease from guests staying at the Hilton Grand Vacations in Waikiki, the Hawaii Department of Health is now investigating an additional case. The guest was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease on April 2. They stayed at the Grand Islander from March 18 to 25. The first case was diagnosed in June 2021 and the second case on March 6 or 7, 2022. Water samples collected in March indicated a potential for legionella growth within the building’s potable water system. Most healthy people exposed to the bacteria do not develop Legionnaires’ disease. However,…

April 10, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Legionella Bacteria found in five Illinois prisons

On March 11, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health released a joint press release announcing that Legionella bacteria had been detected in two Illinois prisons-Stateville Correctional Center and Joliet Treatment Center. However, an IDOC spokesperson has now confirmed that the actual number of prisons with confirmed Legionella in the water supply is five. Legionella was also found in Graham Correctional Center, Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center, and Stateville Northern Reception and Classification Center. Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal type of pneumonia. Legionella bacteria primarily moves from water…

March 30, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Proposed New Brunswick Cooling Tower Legislation

In response to a 2019 legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Moncton where fifteen people were hospitalized, the New Brunswick government has introduced legislation to reduce the risk of legionnaires’ disease in cooling towers. This bill was introduced by Health Minister Dorothy Shephard and would require a registry and associated maintenance and testing of cooling towers. The registry is meant to help quickly locate the towers for testing in the event of future outbreaks. Public Health officials have said that regular testing and maintenance can reduce the risk of bacteria; however, to this point there was nothing requiring such work in New…

March 25, 2022 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Proposed California Safe Water Legislation

As a result of the lack of access to clean water in public schools and state agencies, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has introduced Bill 1144, the Safe and Efficient Water Act. In recent years, school drinking water has been at unacceptable levels. Of the reporting school districts in California, 53% have reported contaminants in their drinking water. Children are specifically at risk for experiencing long term health effects from contaminated drinking water. Common health issues include Legionnaires’ disease, liver and kidney problems, developmental and behavioral issues, and in some cases, cancer. SB 1144 will require public schools and state…