Two recent cases of Legionnaires' disease have put the spotlight on a suburban Bloomingdale nursing home, with Illinois health officials urging nearby residents to be alert for symptoms. The Illinois Department of Public Health, linking these infections to the Alden Valley Ridge Rehabilitation and Health Center, has issued a statement after Legionella bacteria was found in the facility's water, as reported by NBC Chicago. Dealing with a bacteria that thrives in damp environments like that in cooling towers, the cases have raised concerns as the state battles nearly 300 reported cases of Legionnaires' disease so far this year.
Following an ongoing investigation after the initial case was identified in early September, health officials tracked the source back to the nursing facility's cooling tower and a patient's room. Those infected have since recovered, and residents, families, and staff at the nursing center have been notified, as per the directive from state health authorities. "We work with the facility to identify all potential sources that could cause the infection and then work with them to remediate them, to clean them, to make sure it doesn't happen again," Judy Kauerauf, with the Illinois Department of Public Health, told CBS News Chicago.
In light of the findings, Alden Valley Ridge Rehabilitation and Health Center has implemented water restrictions and undertaken other preventive measures recommended by the health departments. Reaffirming their commitment to resident welfare, the facility stated, "We have carried out the recommendations as directed by State and local health departments, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents as well as the community," according to their statement obtained by CBS News Chicago.
Risk for Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia, increases for older adults, smokers, or those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms can include cough, shortness of breath, headache, muscle aches, and fever. The disease isn't spread person-to-person, but can be serious, leading to hospitalization and in about one in ten cases, death. Dr. Santina J. Wheat from Northwestern Medicine noted to CBS News Chicago, "Many people are exposed to it but have no symptoms but some people can have a very serious pneumonia and end up in the hospital." The health department has assured that the general public should not be unduly concerned.
