Piatt Co. Nursing Home takes steps to mitigate Legionella outbreak
MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — Progress on remediating a Legionella outbreak is happening at the Piatt County Nursing Home.
On Tuesday, maintenance installed temporary filters on remaining hot water sources. The care facility got official results the bacteria was active in the hot water system on Monday.
Administrators said finding the source of Legionella is a bit tricky with the amount of water the nursing home uses. They expect to zero-in on the cause and fix it in the next two months. The facility is working with an outside group to rid their system of the bacteria.
READ MORE: Second Monticello nursing home resident exposed to Legionella
Executive Director Scott Porter said in the next two weeks, they will be keeping a close eye on the situation.
“We’re always monitoring residents anyway, but obviously now, any sort of respiratory symptom is going to get our attention,” he said. “You know, now that we have the filters on, we can relax a little bit. But going forward, at least for the next two weeks, any sort of respiratory issue is going to be pursued.”
So far, the nursing home put about 50 filters on resident’s faucets. They’re rated to prevent the transfer of Legionella and last up to three months.
Porter said the nursing home has never experienced a Legionella outbreak before. He said being transparent about the outbreak has made it easier to keep people safe.
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