Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126
Legionnaires lawyer Elliot Olsen has regained millions of dollars for clients. If you or a family member contracted Legionnaires’ disease at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, you might have cause to file a lawsuit. Call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.
New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital officials said they have implemented water restrictions after two cases of Legionnaires’ disease from November and December were potentially linked to the Park Slope hospital.
Water testing at the hospital in December returned positive results for Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaires’ disease, spurring an investigation by the New York State Department of Health.
“It is common to find a small amount of Legionella in the water of many large buildings and hospitals,” according to a statement released by hospital officials. “Most people who were exposed to the bacteria would not become ill.”
Officials for the state health department said they are working with the hospital to prevent additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease.
“The health and safety of our patients and staff is always our primary concern,” a hospital official said. “Out of an abundance of caution and consistent with our safety protocol, we have implemented water restrictions. We work with the state and city departments of health to maintain a clean water supply and have already taken steps to disinfect our water sources.”
Additional information was not released on the patients who contracted Legionnaires’ disease.
Elsewhere in the U.S.:
MISSOURI POOL DISINFECTED AFTER ILLNESS
The indoor pool at a Missouri recreation center has reopened after it was temporarily closed due to fears of Legionella contamination.
The City of Arnold Recreation Center in Jefferson County shuttered the pool Jan. 10 to disinfect it after the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) confirmed a St. Louis County man who had visited the pool multiple times was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. The pool reopened Jan. 14.
“At this point, they (health officials) are not sure where the case of Legionnaires was contracted,” Arnold city administrator Bryan Richison said. “We are one of several places they are inspecting.”
The city-run rec center, located at 1695 Missouri State Road, was not required to close or disinfect the pool under Missouri health codes but elected to do so out of an abundance of caution. Officials performed a “chlorine shock,” which consists of pouring a large amount of chlorine into the pool to sterilize the water.
Richison said the DHSS alerted the Jefferson County Health Department about the pool’s possible tie to the individual’s illness.
Water testing was not required because only one case was reported. However, if a second person connected to the pool is diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, testing would be required, Richison said.
ANOTHER ILLINOIS VETERANS HOME HIT
A resident of the Manteno Veterans Home in Manteno, Illinois, who was being treated at a hospital tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease, according to the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA).
Officials at the IDVA indicate a rapid response was put into place once they were informed of the positive test. IDVA director Stephen Curda directed staff to notify residents, relatives and employees of the illness. “We are taking every precaution necessary to protect our residents, staff, and visitors at our Manteno Home,” Curda was quoted in a statement.
Water remediation began immediately, according to the IDVA, a process that included flushing and heat-treating the home’s potable water systems. The vital signs of patients are being checked every four hours by medical staff, according to ABC-7.
The Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy suffered Legionnaires’ outbreaks for four consecutive years (2015-18). Fourteen people died, and dozens more were sickened.
Legionnaires’ info
A 2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that “75 percent of (Legionnaires’ disease) acquired in health-care settings could be prevented with better water management.”
Most people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but people 50 years old and older – especially those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions – are at a higher risk.
Other people more susceptible to infection include:
- recipients of organ transplants
- individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one)
- heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages.
This list also includes anyone with an immune system weakened by:
- frequent and recurrent pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, meningitis or skin infections
- organ inflammation and infection
- blood disorders, such as low platelet counts or anemia
- digestive problems, such as cramping, appetite loss, diarrhea, and nausea
- delayed growth and development.