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Fourth Legionnaires’ case confirmed at Quincy veterans’ home

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* The fourth since the start of last week, that is…

The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are reporting a fourth laboratory-confirmed case of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ). The positive test result was confirmed earlier today. The resident is in stable condition.

Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) returned to the home in Quincy last week, at the request of IDPH, to provide additional support and guidance. Staff from CDC are working with IVHQ and IDPH staff to:

- Conduct environmental and epidemiological assessments to identify potential exposure sources;
- Augment clinical testing protocols for individuals with respiratory symptoms to include not only testing for Legionella, but also influenza and other respiratory viruses;
- Conduct clinical and environmental sample testing at CDC;
- Identify important public health and infection control interventions; and
- Partner in communications with the local hospital to streamline testing.

In addition to infectious disease control and testing protocols, the teams will continue working to trace potential sources of Legionella bacteria and conduct additional environmental health testing.

Tell me again, why are we keeping those residents at that facility?

…Adding… Pritzker campaign…

Hours after Bruce Rauner’s administration skipped a legislative hearing on Rauner’s fatal mismanagement of the Quincy Veterans’ Home, a fourth case of Legionnaires’ disease was confirmed.

Outbreaks have plagued the home each year Rauner has been governor, and 13 Veterans and spouses have died on Rauner’s watch. A report late Friday revealed that Rauner’s Director of Veterans’ Affairs hid the real cost of replacing the water system at the home, once estimating it at over $500 million when it actually costs $8 million.

“After 13 lives were lost in Quincy, Bruce Rauner and his administration are desperately trying to cover up his fatal mismanagement and inability to stop the crisis from spiraling out of control,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Instead of just dodging questions, Rauner’s administration is now ditching hearings altogether, failing in their responsibility to protect the health of our nation’s heroes.”

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:23 pm

Comments

Moving them now would be an admission that we should have moved them a year ago, and Governor Rauner cannot admit mistakes because he’s been successful at everything he’s ever done.

Comment by Not-so-lucky Pete Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:25 pm
This is beyond negligence at this point. Good Lord.

Comment by Centennial Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:25 pm
Rauner needs to be held accountable. How can you keep these people in these conditions even after 13 deaths? Close that place down

Comment by Real Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:26 pm
A superstar budgetary move? If they all pass away, no more need be spent on their care.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:26 pm
Since half of the residents of Murray Center have been relocated there could be room for many of our Veterans to be relocated.

I think several of the buildings are completely closed. It should not take that long or be that expensive to make this ready. After all, this property is already owned and maintained by the state, but is sorely underutilized.

Comment by illini Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:28 pm
How is this not negligence? How can the state knowingly put these folks at this risk every single day?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:29 pm
At what point is this considered gross negligence after the fact.

How long will this Administration seemingly put people’s lives at risk?

Having the governor stay there for days isn’t helping the additional new cases now, numbering 4.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:30 pm
=== Tell me again, why are we keeping those residents at that facility? ===

Because we have a governor who has a cash box where his heart is supposed to be located.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:31 pm
He is not a good man .

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:34 pm
===Tell me again, why are we keeping those residents at that facility?===

Because if he had to do it all over again, Governor Rauner wouldn’t have done things any differently.

Of the things he can control, he gives himself an A.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:34 pm
Willful, wanton reckless conduct

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:41 pm
===Tell me again, why are we keeping those residents at that facility?===

Anyone know if any residents have left the facility voluntarily after the outbreaks? I haven’t heard the question asked at the hearings.

Comment by Swift Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:43 pm
This is right out of the Rauner playbook. Didn’t he buy up then under-fund nursing homes before he was gov? Residents of those nursing homes died under his ownership.

Comment by Because I said so.... Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:46 pm
–Anyone know if any residents have left the facility voluntarily after the outbreaks?–

If they had a lot of options, they wouldn’t be there in the first place.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:48 pm
For the love of God. Is there no rock bottom to this Administration’s incompetence?

The guy really is so callous to the suffering of others. So let me put this in language that might motivate the Guv:

Hey Guv, every time we are focusing on the veterans getting legionnaires, we are not thinking about Madigan and all the alleged sexual harassment going on in his shop.

Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:48 pm
Swift, usually the veterans are there because of the inability to care for them at home. Not that you hear Rauner stepping up with home care until the crisis is resolved. I had a relative there for a while. Those guys generally need a lot of care.

Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:49 pm
What are the other options? This is not a defense of Rauner, I just don’t know what IDVA would do with the residents if the did move them.

Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 4:58 pm
This is another chance for Rauner tell us that he has done everything right.

Comment by Albany Park Patriot Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:05 pm
–This is another chance for Rauner tell us that he has done everything right. –

I think the day may come when he and his crew are telling it to the judge. Certainly in civil cases.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:08 pm
Perrid,
As for options, the admin has had a report since 2016 examining costs of replacing plumbing in at-risk areas and updated it in January to include a plan to create a “swing” facility to house residents while buildings are remediated.
And, to date, there’s been no formal proposal to do anything from the administration. But they have appointed two task forces. So they got that going for them.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:18 pm
This is more than negligence, it is incompetence by the State. I do believe if this was a private facility with these same issues, the State would have stepped in already and demanded everything we have here. I am certain that if this was an animal care facility, action would have been swift.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:22 pm
Taak forces? Not eve blue ribbon commissions? How serious do they view this?

/snark

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:24 pm
Hopefully, the latest cases are not still being treated with Ibuprofen.

Comment by McLincoln Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:29 pm
See page 3 last paragraph- https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Downloads/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-17-30.pdf

This is from - https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0606-legionnaire-disease-risk.html

Now, this came out after the 2016 report that was held back by the State. The State knew, at the very least last June per CMS and the CDC what needed to be done. Who knew what, when , and where will be very telling.

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:39 pm
The death rate for Legionnella when treated promptly with appropriate antibiotics is less than 5%. It is up to 50% in a nursing home setting if treatment is delayed, or the wrong antibiotic is used. The veterans with new cases now are likely to benefit from the heightened awareness. But it really highlights the grave problem with the cover-up originally.

Comment by Groundhog Day Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:48 pm
Sounds like they would be safer in one of our prisons but didn’t I read where Menard had a case also.

Comment by Nieva Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 5:50 pm
Maybe our bankrupt state should leave this area of governance (caring for veterans) up to the Federal government who is responsible for sending people off to war. If we can’t afford to do something right, we shouldn’t be doing it.

Comment by striketoo Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 6:01 pm
Make the task forces stay there. Bet the problem will be fixed quick.

Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 7:12 pm
@ illini
What makes you think the Murray Center is free of Legionella?

Comment by We'll See Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 7:24 pm
Madigan, and the legionella he controls to take the spotlight off of his culture of sexual harassment. This is the reason the press is focusing on Governor Rauner’s excellent response to the minor issue at the Quincy Veteran’s Home, where he would do nothing different than his most excellent response to date. Right LP?

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 8:49 pm
News reports indicate Legionella has been found in an “unoccupied” area of the Comptroller’s office building. Her reaction to the news should be interesting.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 9:55 pm
I was just about to write a response to the post about the no-shows at the hearing along the lines of “This is one step short of surreal.”

Can the IDPH act unilaterally? Can the VA? Can the VA in DC intervene? Or is it all a matter of executive decision(s) by the gov?

I’m starting to wonder whether he’s going to act at all, no matter what happens next.

His unwillingness to issue any sort of orders beyond those for task forces is worrisome, both specifically and more generally.

Comment by dbk Tuesday, Feb 20, 18 @ 11:37 pm
In my agency there is the exact same amount of managers as their our union workers. There’s literally more people in offices than in cubes.

Then to make matters worse Rauner put a headcount on our agency stating we can’t go passed a certain number of employees but everytime a union member leaves we get some new upper management 6 figure jobs (the ones that make state workers look bad but they are all non union)….and those managers just want numbers and no quality.

Yet nobody is calling Rauner out on these things. This is why my agency is unable to be effective at inspecting and investigating these events…There’s literally only a few of us and we feel like we’re being pushed out.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 7:09 am
This situation calls for quick and bold action, as lives are at stake. Odd but predictable behavior on Rauner’s part. He needs to understand that he cannot do what he has done in the past concerning nursing facilities. I would encourage democrats to pressure Rauner to act in a moral and ethical manner.

Comment by Barrington Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 9:48 am
I’m pretty sure Rauner has been clear about this issue when he said ‘these things happen’.

Comment by don the legend Wednesday, Feb 21, 18 @ 10:22 am