September 20, 2011: Investigators Uncover Another Case of Legionnaires' Disease
Another local retirement home resident has been diagnosed with Legionnaires` disease, bringing the total to 11 cases between two Turtle Creek facilities, according to an Allegheny County Health Department spokesman.
On Wednesday, the department reported that 10 people — eight at LGAR Health and Rehabilitation Center and two at Hamilton Hills Personal Care Home — had been sickened with the disease since late August.
The 11th case was of a person who had already been diagnosed with pneumonia at Hamilton Hills Personal Care Home. Further testing revealed that the person had Legionnaires` disease, health department spokesman Guillermo Cole said today.
Three of those who became ill were hospitalized.
Both facilities now are using bottled water, he said. LGAR will continue to do so while it awaits the results of water samples taken since it installed a copper silver ionization system, which is a long-term, Legionella-control system, Saturday, Cole said.
Hamilton Hills also is considering installing the system, he said.
