Legionnaire's Case Confirmed in Mercer Co.

[hawkeye]

Legionnaire's Case Confirmed in Mercer Co.
HAMILTON, N.J. - October 17, 2006 - Officials in Mercer County have confirmed that 79 year-old female resident at the County Geriatric Center has been diagnosed with Legionaire's Disease.

The resident frequently leaves the center overnight to visit family and friends so it is unknown where she contracted the sometimes fatal illness.

As a precaution, state, county, and local health officials will conduct a thorough inspection of the center on Wednesday and begin environmental testing at the geriatric center.

[hawkeye]

Re: Legionnaire's Case Confirmed in Mercer Co.

Tests continue at factory hit by Legionnaire's bug
INVESTIGATORS are continuing to test air-conditioning systems at businesses near a factory at the centre of a Legionnaire's disease scare.
Bacteria which causes the potentially fatal Legionnaire's disease was found at Kepak's Carr Place plant in Walton Summit after two men were struck down by the disease.
Now health experts have revealed they are carrying out tests on air-conditioning towers and systems at sites in the vicinity of the meat boning plant.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says preliminary results have shown the presence of legionella in water systems at Kepak.
However, they insist that there is no evidence showing there is any risk to the public linked to the two cases.
Health chiefs have also defended their decision not to immediately alert the public about the cases of Legionnaire's ? despite the fact that the first case occurred a few weeks ago.
Dr Sohail Ashraf, consultant in communicable disease control with the HPA's Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection Unit, said: "We quite often get isolated cases of legionella notified to us and we investigate things fully.
"As soon as we became aware of the second case at Kepak, we contacted GPs and health premises in Lancashire to ask if they knew of any problems. Legionella is an infection and, if people get it, they would normally consult with medical services.
"There was no need to alert the public until we had identified a particular source of the outbreak.
"The key thing is that there was no danger to the general public.
"As soon as we knew of the two cases, we informed the people who needed to know, which was GPs and hospitals in the area.
"It was not deemed necessary to inform the public as we could not identify a risk. These were two isolated cases which were separated by several weeks."
One of the men affected is still 'poorly' in hospital, while the other has made a full recovery. There have been no new cases.
18 October 2006