Legionnaire’s Disease returns to Illinois veteran’s home

Posted on July 27, 2016

Twelve residents have died of Legionnaire’s Disease at Quincy Veterans Home since last year. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Quincy Veterans Home)

By RFD Radio/Scott Hardy, WTAD

QUINCY – The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs said Tuesday that two residents of the Veteran’s Home in Quincy have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.

The department said it may never know exactly how the residents caught the disease, but in a statement, officials said they’re working with local and state health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine where the residents acquired the Legionella bacteria.

Senior administration officials with the IDVA, Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency are on their way to Quincy to coordinate with veterans’ home, county and city personnel. IDVA Director Erica Jeffries said that all new admissions to the home are being halted.

The Vets Home recently completed a nearly $5 million renovation of its plumbing system, in response to the 2015 Legionnaires’ disease outbreak. Twelve residents died, and 54 residents and staff came down with the disease.

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