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* I think perhaps the Department might wanna answer the question posed in the third graf..
Ten people in western Illinois now have died from Legionnaires’ disease after a state veterans home in Quincy reported two new fatalities among its residents.
An outbreak first identified in late August has sickened 53 residents at the home, nine of whom died. State and local public health officials have not disclosed how the 10th victim contracted the disease, a severe form of pneumonia.
The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday that it planned to treat the home’s water systems with a chemical disinfectant. An agency spokesman could not immediately answer why that step had not been taken sooner.
Oy.
*** UPDATE *** OK, so I just got off the phone with Illinois Department of Public Health Director Nirav Shah and Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Director Erica Jeffries.
I think the AP took a needless cheap shot in its above story.
Back on July 31st, a veterans home resident went to the hospital with pneumonia-like symptons. He was treated and then returned to the home. On August 7th, it was discovered that the resident had Legionnaire’s Disease. The “vast majority” of cases every year in the US are isolated and do not spread, said Director Shah, but they went on alert.
Two weeks later, on August 21st, another patient exhibited the same symptoms. That day, the state shut down the water system and began cleaning the ice machines, water tanks, cooling tower, etc.
Residents were given bottled water and sponge baths until some new shower filters could be delivered from Europe. The filter openings are so small that Legionnaire’s Disease can’t get through. Two filters have been installed in each residential building, which has greatly boosted resident morale, according to Director Jeffries.
With all of that done, they turned to finishing the cleanup. This has been no small, or easy task. The home encompasses 48 buildings on 200 acres with just one plumbing system.
It’s actually more complicated than this, but I don’t have all day to write about it and it appears that the residents weren’t being exposed to tainted water after the home shut down its water system in August, so there you have it.
Move along.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:29 pm
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Could it be that they are having a hard time figuring out how to pay for it without approp authority?
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:35 pm
I’ve heard that the building is so old that they were having trouble tracing the source of the contamination in the crazy piping system and they didn’t want to use chemicals until they had it narrowed down further.
Whatever the answer, sad situation. And if the age and condition of the building was a contributing factor in how long it has taken to squash this, even sadder.
Comment by Quad City Gal Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:39 pm
The Governor/Director is going to have to own this one…and its not going to be good. Ugh.
Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:45 pm
From what I understand about Legionnaires’ Disease it is usually caused by “dead legs” in the water supply system. A “dead leg” is where you have a branch off of the supply that is stagnant. This typically happens in commercial buildings where a room is remodeled, the water supply in that room is capped and abandoned in place, and that leg of the system isn’t removed back to the supply. This allows water to stagnate in that leg and eventually infect the rest of the system. Until the “dead legs” are cut and capped at the supply the problem won’t be resolved.
Comment by Gruntled University Employee Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:45 pm
Put a couple of wings on the building and CNN will cover the problem 24/7. Seriously, it’s a disgrace that someone(s) should be paying a price for..
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:45 pm
This is unbelievable!
Are the administrators brain dead? No help from any Health departments either?
Comment by walker Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:49 pm
had a friend contract it from his ice maker at home - single and never used up all the ice or dumped it regularly - so sad that our veterans are dying on the state’s watch - God Bless you for your service and sacrifices
Comment by central illinois Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:54 pm
More believable is that this brief article is the extent of your reading and knowledge on the issue.
Countless other sources would have told you that both state (DPH) and federal (CDC) health officials have been providing on the ground assistance.
Alright, back to your outrage.
Comment by Shoe Searer Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 2:58 pm
If Quincy were a right-to-work zone this never would have happened. Talk about having your eye off the ball.When does the Governor start governing?
Comment by Truthteller Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 3:24 pm
Shoe Searer: Good to know. I stand corrected.
Comment by walker Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 3:38 pm
I have a lot of respect for what Illinois has done over the years for its vets. My father-in-law was at the Manteno home just after it opened about twenty-five years ago, and he got excellent care there.
That said — we’ve got a major problem here.
Over 400 Quincy veterans, divided by over 50 sick, means that about one in eight have already contracted Legionnaires.
And ten are dead?
This is a public health emergency by almost any standard.
In a lightly populated area like Quincy, there simply aren’t many options for swiftly moving four hundred infirm people.
But might at least some of those most at risk be transferred to area nursing homes, or retirement homes, or hospitals?
And might others in somewhat better health go further afield? To VA facilities in Marion or St. Louis or Des Moines, perhaps?
Comment by Anonymousse Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 3:40 pm
Although I usually enjoy the snark on this site, it is in pretty poor taste for this posting. Veterans have died. I am fortunate that my father, a resident, is safe. The care he has received since he moved there has been excellent. That makes this whole outbreak so surprising.
Comment by The Pie Man Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 3:58 pm
Chlorine I’d guess
Comment by Me too Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 4:01 pm
Inexcusable.
If you have not treated the water system, find another water source until you do. Arrange temporary shelter, water deliveries or call the Red Cross.
You cannot allow residents to continue using the contaminated water two weeks later. And if the CDC is helping, they certainly are not helping enough.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 4:04 pm
OK, after the update.
What’s troubling is that agency spokesflacks don’t get the support they apparently need to respond to questions. DHS yesterday and now this. Maybe, IL doesn’t need all these spokesflacks, if they can’t actually answer queries.
Maybe each agency needs a ‘What the… ?’ web page for media to ask their questions?
Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 4:32 pm
Ancient buildings, spread over 200 acres, with just one plumbing system …
Just a reminder that there’s four recently-built veterans homes sitting unused on the grounds of the former Lincoln Developmental Center.
Comment by Curmudgeon Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 4:41 pm
That was an important update. The AP made it sound like the Dept was doing nothing.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 5:04 pm
Move along….until we find out that this is linked to the budget impasse.
Comment by Dept Wednesday, Sep 9, 15 @ 8:52 pm
Thanks for the update. The more I learn about Dr. Shah the more I like him.
Comment by Dirty Red Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 8:33 am
BTW, legionnaires disease isn’t only transmitted through plumbing systems. they apparently have cooling tower systems in their HVAC system, which they claim to have cleaned. The problem is that if there’s a humidification system for the air or direct contact air/water system, the “mist” and moisture may be contaminated and there may be ductwork problems. It should be noted that legionnaires is rarely spread through personal contact, and its an environmental issue. That other housing wasn’t immediately found for these folks when it was realized that there were environmental contamination sources gives me less than full confidence in the CDC, DPH and IDVA. The VA is loaded with cash, although it may be the most poorly managed Federal department, next to defense and the IRS. they should be picking up the tab here.
Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Sep 10, 15 @ 8:44 am