June 14, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

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…

June 10, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

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   

May 31, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

A resident at The Commons on St. Anthony, a healthcare facility in Auburn, NY, has tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease.  Testing was conducted at the facility following this finding and low levels of Legionella were detected in the water system. No other residents have tested positive for Legionella, but the facility is following recommendations provided by the health department. Water restrictions were put in place until water tests were shown to be normal. To read more about this story, please click here.

March 30, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

      Mike Glasgow, Flint laboratory and water quality supervisor,  is shown in this Flint Journal file photo.      An interesting piece of information about the Flint water crisis emerged yesterday at an open hearing where members of the Flint community could testify before a Joint Committee. A water treatment plant official, Mike Glasgow, testified that he had tried to increase his staff number and the protection measures being taken as the switch to the Flint River occurred. However, he was blocked from doing so by officials at the  Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Glasgow became well known…

March 29, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

    Protestors march along Saginaw Street  demanding clean water outside of Flint  City Hall in Flint, Mich. on Wednesday  Oct. 7, 2015. Christian Randolph | MLive.com      Summer is approaching quickly, and with it, warmer weather. Generally this is a pleasant transition from a cold winter, but the residents of Flint, Michigan may have a reason to dread the upcoming season. The transition to Spring may see an uptick in the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Bacteria thrive in warmer water, and Flint has had a terrible problem with bacteria in the past year. Second to lead exposure, Legionella bacteria has been…

March 23, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Before understanding the steps being taken to amend the crisis, one must first understand the causes and circumstances. The water supply for the city of Flint was switch from the Detroit city water inlet to the Flint River  from April 25th, 2014 until October 16th, 2015. This switch was an effort to reduce costs for the municipal system while maintaining a constant water supply. However, during that period many levels of the Flint government either did not see, or intentionally disregarded clear evidence that the water from the Flint river was damaging to the city. This negligence has resulted in numerous…

March 22, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

88 people contracted Legionnaires’ disease from June 2014 to November 2015. Until recently, nine of those 88 had died due to the illness, but health officials have added another individual to the list of those who succumbed to Legionnaires’ disease bringing the total to 10. The outbreak in Flint, MI has been one of the worst outbreaks in history, breaking the top ten in number of deaths recorded. While a conclusive link between the Flint River and the water crisis in Flint has not been fully established, the circumstances strongly suggest that oversights by both the Flint government and the…

March 15, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Governor Rick Snyder called for an investigation of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to look into the way that the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak and water crisis were handled in Flint, Michigan. Spokesman Ari Adler said that up to $800,000 will be spent on research sifting through “large quantities” of emails and documents.  No health department personnel are suspended at the moment. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is also hoping that the state will grant his office $1.5 million to investigate the water crisis as well. Much remains unclear about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, but it…

March 3, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has demanded $11,071 in response to a public records request from CNN regarding the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Flint, MI that sickened 87 and killed nine individuals. The invoiced amount was requested in order to “prepare” any emails and documents that involved the discussion Legionnaires’ disease among state officials. Jim Henry, Health Director of Genesee County allegedly told CNN at one point that the severity of the outbreak may have been reduced had the state health department stepped in to help the local health department locate the source.  The source is currently…

February 12, 2016 zacherlaw 0 Comments

Don Kooy, president of McLaren Hospital, and experts say that they suspect the Flint River as the source of Legionella bacteria that were found in the hospital’s water system over a year ago. Kooy was surprised that, although the bacteria were discovered over a year ago, the health agencies did not inform the public of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Genesee County until just a few weeks ago.  Flint residents’ complaints of dirty tap water had been going on for some time, but little information was provided to the public. “It’s a public health issue,” said Kooy. “There were people in…