Legionnaires' Disease outbreaks are more common in warm weather, which is bad news for the people in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement, "to continue the joint efforts to protect the health of residents in the city of Flint, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Wayne State University are working to ensure that residents are aware of the potential for disease spread as the warmer months approach." The Legionnaires' outbreak in Flint, which is in Genesee County, has now claimed 10 lives as of March 18, 2016. At least 88 people have been sickened in this outbreak. Of the 88 confirmed cases, 35% received city of Flint water to their residences. This is important … [Read more...]
Expert Says Flint’s Water “Likely Contributed” to Legionnaires’ Outbreak
According to the Detroit News, an expert for McLaren Regional Medical Center stated that Flint's contaminated water "likely contributed" to the Legionnaires' Disease outbreak in Genesee County. The pathogenic bacteria was found in that hospital's water supply, and a "high number" of those diagnosed with the illness (16 of the 45 cases in that county) were patients at the hospital before they got sick. Janet Stout, a research associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering told the paper "the water quality issues, from a microbiological point of view, certainly were a factor in the increase in Legionnaires' Disease in Genesee County." She also said that the legionella bacteria probably entered the hospital via "brown water", delivered by the Flint … [Read more...]
