Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126
Attorney Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member contracted Legionnaires’ disease in Hampton, you might have cause to file a lawsuit. Call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) announced the addition of one more case of Legionnaires’ disease in Hampton, raising the total to 15 people sickened in the outbreak.

Also, it was learned that hot tubs at The Sands Resort at Hampton Beach and the Harris Sea Ranch Motel – shut down as a precaution during the investigation – were not registered with the state, according to WMUR News 9. Registration is required by officials to ensure that public pools and spas comply with health and safety standards.

Officials announced last weekend that preliminary environmental testing at The Sands uncovered elevated levels of Legionella bacteria in the property’s hot tub, water heater, and outdoor shower hose, as well as the sinks and shower heads in three guest rooms. Nine of the 15 people sickened were guests at The Sands.

The DHHS ordered The Sands to begin immediate remediation and notification efforts. The Sands has retained an environmental consultant, who is already on the job, to clean the property’s water system in the hopes that it will eliminate Legionella.

The DHHS’s latest press release stated it will “provide additional updates on remediation efforts at The Sands Resort, the number of confirmed cases, and additional lab test results as more information becomes available.”

Results from testing at other locations are expected later this week, according to DHHS communications director Jake Leon.

Of the 15 cases, 13 of the patients were hospitalized, and one senior died. The majority of the illnesses occurred within a half-mile-plus stretch of Ashworth Avenue, between Island Path and M Street in Hampton Beach, which is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in the state.

Legionnaires’ FAQs

What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease – also known as legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is similar to other types of pneumonia, which is an infection of the air sacs in one or both lungs that can produce fluid in the lungs. Symptoms can resemble those of influenza (flu) in the following ways:

  • coughing
  • difficulty breathing
  • high fever
  • muscle aches and pains
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Who is most at risk for illness?
Anyone can get Legionnaires’ disease, but people most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

How prevalent is the disease?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur each year, but only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

How is Legionella contracted?
The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments. Outbreaks and clusters have been linked to a number of sources, such as:

  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems
  • large plumbing systems
  • water systems such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • showers and faucets
  • hot water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • decorative fountains.

How serious is the disease?
The severity of Legionnaires’ disease is illustrated in a recent Epidemiology & Infection study from the University of Minnesota. Based on data from the CDC and the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), “approximately 9 percent of legionellosis cases, caused by waterborne Legionella bacteria, are fatal, and 40 percent require intensive care.”

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in New Hampshire, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) ordered immediate remediation efforts at The Sands Resort at Hampton Beach after Legionella bacteria were detected in the facility’s water system. The news broke shortly after state health officials confirmed two additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Hampton, bringing the outbreak total to 14.

Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease also were reported in Nashua, both occurring in August. State officials said the Nashua cases are unconnected to the Hampton outbreak or even related to one another. Nashua is approximately 44 miles from Hampton.

Preliminary test results returned elevated levels of Legionella – the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease – in The Sands’ hot tub, water heater, outdoor shower hose and sinks/showerheads in three guest rooms. Nine of the 14 individuals sickened were guests at the property.

The 14 illnesses, which were confirmed between June 14 and August 24, included 12 hospitalizations and the death of an elderly male.

Order to notify guests and remediate building
“I have issued this order to ensure the health of guests and visitors of the establishment, as well as the health of Hampton residents and visitors,” DHHS Commissioner Jeffrey Meyers was quoted in the department’s news release.

The order to remediate the water system and notify current or future guests of the outbreak and test results were issued under New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) 141-C:11-16, which requires the DHHS Commissioner to take actions necessary to protect public health. The following steps were ordered:

  1. Immediately post signage notifying guests and visitors of the Legionella outbreak occurring at your establishment. This signage must be visible to all persons at all entries to the premises and at the registration desk.
  2. Immediately notify all guests at the time of check-in of the outbreak.
  3. Immediately notify all guests at the time of reservation of the outbreak.
  4. Within 48 hours of this order, hire the services of a Legionella consultant or environmental consulting firm to conduct an assessment and initiate remediation actions within 24 hours of hire.
  5. Within 24 hours of hire, have an assessment performed by the consultant and provide the DHHS with a written summary of actions taken toward remediation at least every 48 hours.
  6. Perform ongoing Legionella testing to confirm remediation and report results to the DHHS at the become available.

The order will be in effect until the DHHS is satisfied with The Sands’ remediation efforts. Further orders will depend on additional testing results and the mitigation efforts.

The Sands not the only culprit?
The Sands has not been officially cited as the only source of the outbreak. Test results are pending from other locations in the affected area, including the Harris Sea Ranch Motel, which was one of two facilities suspected by officials – along with The Sands – as a possible source.

The majority of cases stayed at or resided in the Ashworth Avenue area between Island Path and M Street. The Sands Resort is located at 32 Ashworth Avenue.

Legionnaires’ primer

Legionnaires’ disease – also called legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is a severe type of lung infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur yearly in the United States. Only 5,000 cases are reported, however, because of the disease’s nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of people who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Legionella bacteria are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Warmer weather to blame?
Legionnaires’ disease is “an emerging disease in the sense that the number of recorded cases of Legionnaires’ in the United States continues to increase,” said Laura Cooley, MD, MPH from the CDC’s Respiratory Diseases Branch.

In a 2017 interview, Cooley said the increase is due to a rise in the susceptibility of the population, with more and more people on immunosuppressive medications. There also could be more Legionella in the environment, with warmer temperatures creating the right conditions for bacterial growth.

Seventeen of the 18 warmest years since modern record-keeping began have occurred since 2001, according to analyses by both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The four warmest years on record all occurred since 2014, with 2017 being the warmest non-El Niño year ever recorded.

This year is shaping up to be the fourth-hottest year on record. The only years hotter were the three previous ones.

Where do Legionella live?
Outbreaks have been linked to a number of sources:

  • water systems, such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • cooling towers of air conditioning systems
  • large plumbing systems
  • showers and faucets
  • hot-water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • decorative fountains
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • equipment used in physical therapy.

Who is most at risk?
Anyone can become ill from Legionella, but those most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, both current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

What are the symptoms?
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. Symptoms can even resemble those of flu, which is why it often goes under-reported. Symptoms include:

  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in Hampton, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

The Legionnaires’ disease cluster in Hampton, NH, has turned deadly as one senior has passed away from complications of the severe-type of bacterial pneumonia. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) announced seven new cases, raising the count to 12.

“It is likely there will be additional cases to report in the next few days,” said Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist, at a news conference held at the Hampton Police Department.

Eleven of the 12 victims were visitors to Hampton Beach, a village district, census-designated place, and beach resort in the town of Hampton. All 12 took ill between late July and mid-August. The genders, ages, and residences of those sickened were not released.

“Federal, state and local authorities are working cooperatively and diligently to address this situation and help mitigate any additional health risks,” New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu was quoted in a DPHS statement. “Through regular communication and transparency, we will ensure members of the public have the most up to date information so that they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”

Hot tub spas probable source
The likely source is hot tub spas at the Sands Resort and the Harris Sea Ranch Motel along Ashworth Avenue, officials said. The hot tub spas were closed, and officials said they no longer present a risk to the public. Both hotels remained open Thursday.

Tom Saab, co-owner of the Sands Resort, told Boston 25 News the hotel’s hot tub is drained and cleaned several times each week.

“They asked as a courtesy if we could shut down our hot tub, which is a very small hot tub (that) has been here for 25 years, and we’ve never had a problem whatsoever,” Saab said. “It’s immaculate. It has all brand-new filters, new pump.”

Investigation continues
Officials said they are still trying to pinpoint the source of the Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaires’ disease. Initially, industrial-sized air conditioning units were suspected.

A drone was used to investigate the area for other possible public sources of contamination, such as cooling towers.

“We are continuing to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate other potential sources of exposure in the community, and so far, we have not identified any other potential common sources in this area,” Chan told WMUR News 9. “We believe that the overall current health risk in the community is low.”

The area of concern
Officials said they have narrowed the infectious field to an area of Ashworth Avenue between Island Path and M Street in the Hampton Beach area, which is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in the state.

Officials stressed that Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious and spread from person to person. The DPHS, however, is recommending that anybody at increased risk for the disease should “consider postponing their visit to the area” in an abundance of caution.

If you’re sick, get checked
Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but it can cause a potentially severe bacterial pneumonia and even result in death, if not identified and treated early.

Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. Symptoms can also resemble those of flu, and include:

  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

“We’re interviewing people who have become infected, and we encourage anyone who may have been diagnosed with Legionella since visiting this area to please contact us,” Beth Daly, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control chief, told New England Cable News (NECN.com).

Anyone with information or questions about the outbreak is asked to call the DPHS Inquiry Line at 603-271-9461. The line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. eastern time, including weekends.

“Legionella is a serious infection,” DPHS director Lisa Morris said in a statement. “We want to make sure the public is aware of the potential risk of this disease so that each person can make a decision for themselves about visiting the area in the best interest of their health.”

Cluster, not an outbreak
The illnesses are categorized as a “cluster” and not an “outbreak” because the cases are linked in space and time but there is no single source. If the health department can pinpoint a definitive source – such as a cooling tower or water system responsible for spreading the Legionella – as the cause for all the illnesses, officials would then recategorize this event as an “outbreak.”

In the past five years, New Hampshire has averaged 32 Legionnaires’ disease cases per year.

Legionnaires: What you need to know

Legionnaires’ disease – also called legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is a severe type of pneumonia (lung infection). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur in the U.S. annually. However, only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Who is most susceptible to infection?
Anyone can become ill from Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, but those most at risk for infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

What could be causing the cluster?
Legionella are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Outbreaks have been linked to a number of sources, such as:

  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems
  • water systems, such as those used in hotels, hospitals, and nursing homes
  • large plumbing systems
  • hot-water tanks and heaters
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • swimming pools
  • showers and faucets
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • decorative fountains.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in New Jersey, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

With the start of the 2018 school year just around the corner for students in Berkeley, NJ, news of a Central Regional Middle School staff member taking ill with Legionnaires’ disease has school officials on high alert, according to jerseyshoreonline.com.

It is unknown where the staff member, who had recently been on vacation, contracted the disease. No additional information was released on the staff member’s condition, age or gender.

“We are doing all tests necessary to make sure the school is safe for all employees and students,” Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides said. “We are taking every precaution just to be sure.”

A water leak damaged two ceiling tiles at the school, according to Parlapanides, but the area was cleaned up in a few hours, not long enough for Legionella – the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease – to form.

Legionella is most commonly spread through airborne water droplets. Mist or vapor contaminated with the bacteria and breathed into the lungs can infect a person with Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia.

Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person.

Legionnaires’ FAQs

What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease – also known as legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is similar to other types of pneumonia, which is an infection of the air sacs in one or both lungs that can produce fluid in the lungs. Symptoms can resemble those of influenza (flu) in the following ways:

  • coughing
  • difficulty breathing
  • high fever
  • muscle aches and pains
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Who is most at risk for illness?
Anyone can get Legionnaires’ disease, but people most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

How prevalent is the disease?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur each year, but only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

How does Legionella infect a person?
The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments. Outbreaks anc clusters have been linked to a number of sources, such as:

  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems
  • large plumbing systems
  • water systems such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • showers and faucets
  • hot water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • decorative fountains.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in West Orange, NJ, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

Water testing at more than a dozen municipal buildings in West Orange, NJ, revealed elevated levels of Legionella bacteria at six buildings and properties, according to town officials.

The testing was ordered after a city employee was hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease and a test of the West Orange Town Hall – one of two municipal buildings in which the employee worked – was positive for Legionella. The employee has since returned to the job.

Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, a sometimes-deadly respiratory illness.

The Fire Headquarters, Firehouse No. 2, Firehouse No. 4 and Police Headquarters tested positive for the bacteria, as did the field houses at Lafayette Park and O’Connor Park. Officials reassured the public that recreation areas at the parks were clear of Legionella.

According to West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi, the township immediately shut down the water supply at all of the affected properties and ordered the same remediation efforts that were previously taken at Town Hall.

“This means filters will be installed, bottled water made available immediately, and all plumbing flushed to eliminate any bacteria,” Parisi told West Orange Patch. “We have been advised by expert consultants, including New Jersey American Water (NJAW), that these steps will fully remedy the current situation.”

NJAW released the following statement about the situation in West Orange:

“Providing safe water is New Jersey American Water’s number one priority and a responsibility we share with all our customers. Although the drinking water we deliver is treated and meets all federal and state water quality standards and requirements, the quality of that water can change once it leaves our pipes and enters domestic plumbing systems. When we became aware of the issues the Township of West Orange experienced with Legionella in the plumbing infrastructure of its Municipal Township Building, we began proactively working with Mayor Parisi, his staff, health officials and town consultants to provide expert guidance and assistance as the town works to remedy this situation. We are committed to helping the Township resolve this issue as they work to disinfect and upgrade their building systems to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for their employees.”

Before the discovery of the latest positive tests, West Orange business administrator John Sayers said that – based on expert opinions – town officials don’t believe the worker contracted the disease from the water at Town Hall since more than one person would have been likely to become sick.

Officials announced at a city council meeting they had hired Omega Environmental Services to oversee testing at all 17 municipal buildings to ensure the safety of its employees, the city’s residents, and visitors.

The water supply at Town Hall and the Department of Public Works building – the two buildings at which the employee who was sickened worked – was previously remediated.

“The following facts exist with regard to Legionella,” said Theresa De Nova, West Orange Health & Welfare health officer. “It is not contagious, person to person. … It cannot be contracted by drinking or touching water. And the way it is contracted is by inhaling contaminated water mist.”

Legionnaires’ info

Legionnaires’ disease – also called legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is a severe type of pneumonia (lung infection). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur in the U.S. annually. However, only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Legionella bacteria are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Factors that lead to Legionella growth
A variety of internal and external factors can lead to a Legionella problem in buildings, according to the CDC, including

  • construction
  • water main breaks
  • changes in municipal water quality
  • biofilm
  • scale and sediment
  • water temperature fluctuations
  • pH fluctuations
  • inadequate levels of disinfectant
  • changes in water pressure
  • water stagnation.

Where Legionella can grow or spread
Legionella can grow in many parts of a building’s water system that is continually wet, and certain devices can then spread contaminated water droplets. Some examples of devices where Legionella can grow and spread through aerosolization or aspiration (when water accidentally goes into the lungs while drinking) include:

  • hot and cold water storage tanks
  • water heaters
  • water hammer arrestors
  • expansion tanks
  • water filters
  • electronic and manual faucets
  • aerators
  • faucet flow restrictors
  • showerheads and hoses
  • pipes, valves, and fittings
  • centrally installed misters, atomizers, air washers, and humidifiers
  • nonstream aerosol-generating humidifiers
  • infrequently used equipment including eyewash stations
  • ice machines
  • hot tubs
  • decorative fountains
  • cooling towers
  • medical equipment (such as CPAP machines, hydrotherapy equipment, bronchoscopes, etc.).

Who is most at risk?
Anyone can become ill from Legionella, but those most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

What are the disease’s symptoms?
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. Symptoms also can resemble those of flu, such as:

  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in New Hampshire, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

UPDATE, AUG. 28, 9:10 p.m.
A fifth case of Legionnaires’ disease near Ashworth Avenue was confirmed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Services (DPHS).

ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 28, 1:20 p.m.
Four people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in what is being a called a “disease cluster” in Hampton, the DPHS said. All four patients have been treated and released.

Health officials said they believe the illnesses occurred at the end of July or in early August. Officials narrowed the infectious field to an area of Ashworth Avenue between Island Path and H Street in the Hampton Beach area, which is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in New Hampshire.

The DPHS recommends that anybody at increased risk for the disease should “consider postponing their visit to the area” in an abundance of caution.

“We’re interviewing people who have become infected, and we encourage anyone who may have been diagnosed with Legionella since visiting this area to please contact us,” Beth Daly, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control chief, told New England Cable News (NECN.com).

Anyone can become ill from Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, but those most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

“Legionella is a serious infection,” DPHS director Lisa Morris said in a statement. “We want to make sure the public is aware of the potential risk of this disease so that each person can make a decision for themselves about visiting the area in the best interest of their health.”

The illnesses are categorized as a “cluster” and not an “outbreak” because the cases are linked in space and time but there is no single source. If the health department can pinpoint a definitive source – such as a cooling tower or water system responsible for spreading the Legionella – as the cause for all the illnesses, officials would then recategorize this event as an “outbreak.”

Trying to locate the source
The DPHS is investigating possible additional cases, and is considering an industrial-size air conditioning unit as the potential source.

Said Daly: “(The source is probably) a large system that includes water … spewing this bacteria out into the environment.”

Legionella are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but it does have the ability to cause a potentially severe bacterial pneumonia and even result in death, if not identified early. Legionella is not contagious and spread from person to person.

In the past five years, New Hampshire has averaged 32 Legionnaires’ disease cases per year, according to Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist. Seeing a cluster is rare, he added.

“We have not investigated a cluster … in the last 10 to 15 years,” Chan told WMUR News 9.

Legionnaires’ primer

Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. Symptoms can also resemble those of flu, and include:

  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

What exactly is Legionnaires’?
Legionnaires’ disease – also called legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is a severe type of pneumonia (lung infection). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur in the U.S. annually. However, only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Where do Legionella live?
Outbreaks have been linked to a number of sources, such as:

  • large plumbing systems
  • showers and faucets
  • hot-water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • decorative fountains
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • water systems, such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in Ohio, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

Two employees at the Northland Opportunity Center on Columbus’ North Side were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Both are recovering, and one is believed to have returned to work.

The center, located in the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services (FCDJFS) building at 1721 Northland Park Avenue, shut down the drinking water fountains, under the advisement of Franklin County Public Health officials.

The facility “remains open, but the fountains remain off out of caution,” said Tyler Lowry, Franklin County director of public affairs.

Columbus Public Health assessed the building, county employees were notified of the illnesses, and notices were posted at the Northland offices.

The FCDJFS is a county, state and federally supported agency responsible for basic financial, medical, and social services programs.

Employees or visitors to FCDJFS who have recently suffered from or are currently exhibiting pneumonia- or flu-like symptoms (see below) should seek medical attention from their primary health-care provider.

Legionnaires’ disease no stranger to Ohio
The past few years have seen a handful of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks in Ohio:

  • Two veterans were sickened after visiting the Chalmers P. Wylie V.A. Ambulatory Care Center in Columbus sometime after May 28.
  • In July, two residents of The Manor at Whitehall, a nursing home, tested positive for Legionella.
  • In June, two inmates at Ohio’s prison hospital, the Franklin Medical Center in Columbus, contracted Legionnaires’ disease.
  • In September 2017, a student and an employee at The Ohio State University campus in Columbus became ill.
  • In 2015, a rare subgroup of Legionnaires’ disease sickened 19 at the Lucas County Job and Family Services building in Toledo, and 11 employees required hospitalization. The serogroup-5 outbreak, which rarely results in human infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was traced to the building’s cooling tower. (Legionella pneumophila is divided into 15 serogroups [or species], with serogroup 1 being the most common disease-causing type.)
  • In 2013, the largest Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Ohio history occurred when six people died – and 39 others were sickened – at the Wesley Ridge Retirement Community in Reynoldsburg, a suburb of Columbus. A cooling tower and potable water were the sources for that outbreak.

Legionnaires’ 101

Legionnaires’ disease – also called legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is a severe type of lung infection. According to the CDC, an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur yearly in the U.S. Only 5,000 cases are reported, however, because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of people who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

Legionella bacteria are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Warmer weather to blame?
Legionnaires’ disease is “an emerging disease in the sense that the number of recorded cases of Legionnaires’ in the United States continues to increase,” said Laura Cooley, MD, MPH from the Respiratory Diseases Branch of the CDC.

Cooley said the increase is due to a rise in the susceptibility of the population, with more and more people on immunosuppressive medications. Also, there could be more Legionella in the environment, with warmer temperatures creating the right conditions for bacterial growth.

Seventeen of the 18 warmest years since modern record-keeping began have occurred since 2001, according to analyses by both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The four warmest years on record all occurred since 2014, with 2017 being the warmest non-El Niño year ever recorded.

This year is shaping up to be the fourth-hottest year on record. The only years hotter were the three previous ones.

Where do Legionella live?
Outbreaks have been linked to a number of sources:

  • large plumbing systems
  • showers and faucets
  • hot-water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • decorative fountains
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • water systems, such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems.

Who is most at risk?
Anyone can become ill from Legionella, but those most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, both current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

Legionnaires’ symptoms
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. Symptoms can even resemble those of flu, which is why it often goes under-reported. Symptoms include:

  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • muscle aches
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

NJ NURSING HOME RESIDENT’S ILLNESS CONFIRMED
The water system of the Morris View Healthcare Center in in Morris Township, NJ, will undergo hyperchlorination in the facility’s ongoing efforts to rid the system of Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

A resident of the 238-bed nursing home was confirmed with Legionnaires’ disease in June during routine testing, despite displaying no symptoms. After that diagnosis, 24 residents exhibited respiratory symptoms, but none tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease, according to Morris County administrator John Bonanni.

Legionella was discovered in a water faucet during testing of a resident’s room, prompting immediate remediation of the water system. The bacteria were located in several other areas of the nursing home since.

Bonanni said the county took numerous corrective actions when the bacteria was first detected, including:

  • analysis of the water system
  • bottled water brought in
  • filters installed on shower heads
  • aerators removed from sinks
  • kitchen modifications made for food preparation.

Remediation includes plumbing upgrades and scheduled monitoring of the water system over the next few years.

LEGIONELLA FOUND AT NY HOTEL
Legionella bacteria was discovered in the pool and spa area at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel in Schuyler County, according to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and guests may have been exposed to the sometimes-deadly bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

The NYSDOH and hotel are working together to contact individuals who stayed at the hotel, located on the south end of Seneca Lake, between July 16 and August 1 to inform them of the situation and confirm whether they were in proximity to the infected area.

There has been no confirmation of any illnesses connected to the hotel.

“You literally have to breathe in the water particles, which makes it a little more uncommon,” says Marcia Kasprzyk, director of public health in Schuyler County. “It’s the same as any other pneumonia. Sometimes the trick is knowing you’ve been exposed to even think of [getting] tested.”

The hotel has closed its pool and spa to patrons as workers remediate the facility.

Guests, visitors or employees of the hotel between the affected dates who are feeling flu-like symptoms should seek immediate care from their health-care provider.

TWEET: CASE CONFIRMED AT NY NURSING HOME
The New York State Department of Health confirmed a case of Legionnaires’ disease at Excel Woodbury, a rehabilitation and nursing facility in Woodbury, according to a Tweet by @DanielleNLeigh, an investigative reporter for ABC 7 News.

“The @HealthNYGov confirmed a case of legionnaires disease at a nursing home in Woodbury. A spokesperson said the state is working with Excel to test water samples taken throughout the facility and develop a remediation plan to prevent additional cases of legionellosis,” reads the entirety of her tweet.

No other information has been released.

ILLINOIS CAPITOL AGAIN POSITIVE FOR LEGIONELLA
Cooling towers at an office building at the Illinois State Capitol Complex in Springfield are undergoing disinfection efforts after a “marginally positive” test result was returned for Legionella.

The Capitol Complex, which is comprised of 14 buildings, has been monitored more closely since the presence of Legionella was detected in the Illinois State Armory in January. Three other buildings in the complex tested positive in February.

Water quality throughout the complex has maintained an acceptable level, which officials say is due to a flushing program instituted this year.

TEXAS HOSPITAL POSITIVE FOR LEGIONELLA
Routine testing of the water system at Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton, Texas, returned positive results for Legionella bacteria, according to hospital officials, but no patients or staff have been infected with Legionnaires’ disease.

Hospital officials said testing returned three positive results for Legionella out of 28 samples collected. The water supply is routinely tested to detect contamination and implement infection control measures to protect patients, employees, and staff.

As a precaution, the hospital has shut down the water supply to specific areas of the hospital, and limited access to other areas. Showers are not permitted at this time, and bottled water and ice is being distributed.

PALM SPRINGS POOL REMAINS CLOSED
Residents have been informed that more positive tests for Legionella bacteria will keep the pool at the Four Seasons Palm Springs in Palm Springs, CA, closed for the foreseeable future. A letter sent to residents this month revealed that six of the 11 areas that tested positive for Legionella in June tested positive again.

Environmental testing of the pool and spa area was originally ordered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after it learned in June that two residents were sickened with Legionnaires’ disease earlier in the year. Those tests linked the pool’s bacteria to the same strain of Legionella that sickened the two individuals in January.

Four Seasons management is planning on having the pipes replaced and conducting hypothermal flushing to eliminate the dangerous bacteria. The closure will be in place until the facility is cleared by the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health (REHS).

Residents use the pool and spa areas as a source of relief and comfort from the heat. Daily high temperatures in the Palm Springs area are forecast to hit triple digits throughout August, so the continued closure, which started in late June, remains an inconvenience.

While there have been no new Legionnaires’ illnesses since January, because of the repeated positive tests for Legionella, residents, employees, and visitors to Four Seasons Palm Springs exhibiting pneumonia- or flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention from their health-care provider out of an abundance of caution.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in Rhode Island, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

Two residents at Saint Elizabeth Manor in Bristol, Rhode Island, have been infected with Legionnaires’ disease, according to WPRI 12 News. No further information was available on the conditions, ages or genders of the two residents.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is investigating the outbreak.

The facility has been placed on water restrictions and will be installing point-of-use filters on all sinks and shower heads to prevent the spread of infection, according to RIDOH public information officer Joseph Wendelken.

WPRI received a tip that faucets inside the building were “taped up” and employees were urging residents not to drink the water.

Legionnaires’ disease is a lung infection that spreads through drinking water, according to Wendelken, and there is an increased risk of infection for the elderly and those with weakened immune systems or underlying lung conditions. “People can get Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria,” Wendelken said.

Residents, employees, and visitors to Saint Elizabeth Manor who have recently suffered from or are currently exhibiting pneumonia- or flu-like symptoms (see below) should seek immediate medical attention from their primary health-care provider.

Saint Elizabeth Manor is a skilled nursing and rehab center in East Bay with 133 beds, providing long-term care, short-term rehabilitative care, specialized care for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and hospice care.

Legionnaires’ FAQs

What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease – also known as legionellosis and Legionella pneumonia – is similar to other types of pneumonia, which is an infection of the air sacs in one or both lungs that might produce fluid in the lungs. Symptoms can resemble flu-like symptoms in the following forms:

  • coughing
  • difficulty breathing
  • high fever
  • muscle aches and pains
  • headaches
  • gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Who is most at risk for illness?
Anyone can get Legionnaires’ disease, but people most susceptible to infection include:

  • people 50 years of age or older
  • smokers, current and former
  • heavy drinkers of alcoholic beverages
  • people with chronic lung disease
  • people with compromised immune systems
  • recipients of organ transplants
  • individuals who are on specific drug protocols (corticosteroids, to name one).

How prevalent is the disease?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 25,000 cases of pneumonia due to Legionella bacteria (Legionella pneumophila) occur each year, but only 5,000 cases are reported because of its nonspecific signs and symptoms.

Ten percent of those who become infected with Legionnaires’ disease will die from the infection.

How does Legionella infect a person?
Legionella bacteria are contracted by inhaling microscopic water droplets, usually in the form of mist or vapor. The bacteria, which grow best in warm water, are found primarily in human-made environments.

Outbreaks have been linked to a number of sources, such as:

  • the cooling towers of air conditioning systems
  • large plumbing systems
  • water systems such as those used in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels
  • showers and faucets
  • hot water tanks and heaters
  • swimming pools
  • hot tubs and whirlpools
  • equipment used in physical therapy
  • mist machines and hand-held sprayers
  • decorative fountains.

Sick with Legionnaires’ disease?
Call (612) 337-6126

Elliot Olsen has decades of experience representing people harmed by Legionnaires’ disease, and he has regained millions of dollars for them. If you or a family member have contracted Legionnaires’ disease in New York City, please call (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation.

Elliot Olsen, one of the country’s leading legal authorities on the subject of Legionnaires’ disease, was interviewed for an article in Bloomberg Law on the recent outbreak in New York City.

Twenty-seven people were sickened – and one of them died – in a Legionnaires’ outbreak that plagued upper Manhattan for much of the summer. It was only this week that the source of the outbreak was determined.

Olsen provided his valuable insights on Legionnaires’ disease to Bloomberg’s Toxic Law reporter Peter Hayes, whose story was published August 16:

Manhattan’s Rash of Legionnaires’ Outbreaks, Suits

BY PETER HAYES
Reproduced with permission. Published Aug. 16, 2018. Copyright 2018 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (800-372-1033) <http://www.bna.com>

Most New Yorkers don’t think about how their buildings’ air conditioning systems work. Maybe they should, health officials and lawyers tracking a spike of new Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks and related lawsuits tell Bloomberg Law.

Rising temperatures, more virulent strains of the potentially lethal disease, and aging populations and cooling and plumbing systems, are just some of the many reasons driving the boom in New York and other U.S. cities.

Reported Outbreaks Steadily Rising
The number of Legionnaires’ cases reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has been steadily increasing over the last two decades. Last year showed a greater than sixfold increase over year 2000 levels.

‘‘This may reflect a true increase in the frequency of disease,’’ Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the CDC in Washington, told Bloomberg Law. ‘‘But it may also be in part a result of increased use of diagnostic testing or better reporting.’’

Legionella bacteria can cause a form of legionellosis, known as Pontiac fever, with influenza-like symptoms lasting just a few days, according to the World Health Organization.

But the Legionella bacteria, which is found in fresh water like lakes, streams, rivers and other sources that feed urban and rural water systems, may also cause respiratory failure and death when it comes in its pneumatic form, called Legionnaires’ disease.

Water-containing building fixtures like cooling towers and other parts of large air conditioning systems are especially prone to spreading the bacteria. Hot tubs, shower heads, and sink faucets can also be problematic, according to the CDC.

The first documented outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, and the one that explains its name, occurred in 1976 and was linked to a Philadelphia hotel’s air conditioning system. The outbreak, which took place at an American Legion conference at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, killed 34 people and made more than 200 other attendees severely ill.

Newest Outbreaks, Suits
Last month, the hottest month of the year in New York, a spate of new outbreaks and related lawsuits occurred in that city and elsewhere in the U.S.

The New York City Health Department announced in July a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease in upper Manhattan that sickened 26 people and killed one elderly resident.

The outbreak, which is being investigated by testing water samples from area cooling towers, came on the heels of two New York police officers suing the city over their contraction of the disease.

The officers were allegedly exposed at a Manhattan police precinct which was the scene of another Legionnaires’ outbreak in 2016. The officers allege the city negligently renovated the 23rd Precinct building after the prior incident, leaving the water tower, sewage system, locker room, and bathrooms all contaminated.

Elsewhere in the U.S., the family of a man who allegedly died of Legionnaires’ at a state-run veterans’ home in Illinois filed suit July 19, the latest of at least a dozen cases brought recently against the facility’s operators.

The complaint alleges the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Quincy Veterans’ Home didn’t ensure appropriate levels of water in the water towers, inadequately chlorinated the water system, and failed to maintain appropriate temperatures in the air conditioning system’s water holding area.

Further west, a 68-year-old woman sued Harrah’s Laughlin LLC July 25, alleging she contracted the disease while visiting the Las Vegas casino. The complaint alleges contamination in the water supply, and said Legionella ‘‘can contaminate hot water tanks, hot tubs, and cooling towers of large air conditioners.’’

Higher Temperatures
Plaintiffs’ attorney Elliot Olsen with Siegel Brill PA in Minneapolis said climate change, coupled with inadequate precautions by building owners, may be factors in the Legionnaires’ disease increase.

‘‘Legionella is in water supplies at low levels, but it amplifies at certain temperatures,’’ Olsen said. ‘‘If chlorine levels drop below a certain level, then Legionella proliferates.’’

Olsen represents clients in foodborne illness, Legionnaires’ disease, product liability, and medical malpractice cases.

‘‘Building owners also have been slow to adopt protections,’’ Olsen said. Magnifying those problems are the U.S.’s aging population, which results in a larger pool of people more susceptible to the disease, he said. ‘‘Most of my clients are at least in their late 60s,’’ Olsen said.

The Bronx Incident
Defense attorneys agree the number of outbreaks and suits are proliferating, but they disagree about the causes.

‘‘We are definitely seeing an increase in Legionella-related litigation,’’ defense counsel Susan E. Smith with Beveridge & Diamond PC in San Francisco told Bloomberg Law.

Smith’s practice is focused on toxic tort, drinking water, and related insurance litigation.

But Smith ties the bump to heightened attention by public health officials and clinicians, an active plaintiffs’ bar, and increased media scrutiny of not only Legionnaires’ outbreaks but other high-profile water problems across the country.

Defense attorney Kevin Mayer with Crowell & Moring LLP in Los Angeles agrees.

He points specifically to attention around still another outbreak in New York tied to cooling towers, this one in the Bronx in 2015, which sickened 138 people and caused 16 deaths.

Public health officials in cities and states nationwide have been keeping a lot closer tabs on the disease since the Bronx outbreak, he said.

One of those officials, Dr. Mary-Margaret Fill, a medical epidemiologist with the Tennessee Department of Health, told Bloomberg Law it’s uncertain if CDC’s outbreak data shows a true increase in the incidence of the disease or if it indicates health officials are doing a better job finding and counting infection rates.

‘‘In the mid to late ‘90s a urine antigen test for Legionella was developed, that provides results in one day, so there is an improved diagnostic capability,’’ Fill said. ‘‘And this may be a self-fulfilling prophecy — a greater awareness among health care providers and the general public may be driving up the numbers of reported cases.’’

Still, the demographic numbers are sobering: ‘‘One out of 10 people die after being infected,’’ Fill said. She noted that most of those fatalities have been in older people, or those who smoked, or had other serious health problems, however.

By 2050, Fill said, the number of people in the U.S. over age 50 is expected to double.

Few Regulations, Tough Suits
New York City, and the state, in response to the 2015 Bronx outbreak, enacted regulations requiring the regular inspection of cooling towers.

The laws require building owners to register, and regularly maintain, test, and clean the towers. The owners also must follow record keeping and notification requirements when high levels of the Legionella bacteria are detected.

The state law also includes cooling tower requisites for hospitals and residential health care facilities.

The regulations provide a standard of care in Legionnaires’ disease cases by informing building owners what they must do, Mayer said.

‘‘But there are no regulations in most places, so there is no clear standard of care,’’ he said, noting that the majority of U.S. cities and states don’t have similar requirements.

The lack of clear standards poses problems for those who try to hold building owners and others liable for disease-related injuries in court, Mayer said.

‘‘Plaintiffs must show negligence — that the conduct fell below the standard of care,’’ he said.

Smith, the defense attorney with Beveridge & Diamond, also said problems exist with the notion that risk management called for by the New York regulations will provide an adequate solution to the outbreaks.

‘‘There’s a lot of uncertainty about what exactly should be done to reduce the risk, and whether any particular practice or set of practices is consistently effective over time,’’ she said. ‘‘There is no one-size-fits-all approach for all facilities.’’

Further, where there are regulations, ‘‘guidance often conflicts with other guidance,’’ she said.

Problem with the Water
Defense attorney Kimberly Connick with Harris Beach PLLC in New York said all of the above factors are driving the upsurge in incidents of Legionnaires’ disease.

But Connick adds another to the list: the quality of municipal water in the first place. She said the water itself in many cities is being made more susceptible to the disease as the Environmental Protection Agency has enacted regulations that require municipalities to reduce the amount of disinfection-related byproducts.

‘‘Changes in regulations controlling the treatment of municipal water have reduced the amount of chlorine, a disinfectant that prevents Legionella,’’ she said.

‘‘This issue has become a major talking point for advocacy groups and other critics of the New York regulations who claim that the regulations’ narrow focus on only building equipment fails to address the source of the problem — public water systems,’’ Connick said.
—
To contact the reporter on this story: Peter Hayes in Washington at PHayes@bloomberglaw.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steven Patrick at spatrick@bloomberglaw.com