Church one of 3 sites tested for source of Legionnaires’More at the full article here.]
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District was testing a local church and two other locations Wednesday that could potentially be connected with six cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Champaign County.
First Christian Church, Champaign, was identified by state health officials as an investigation target.
However, just three of the six local people sickened by Legionnaires’ — a severe form of pneumonia — since Sept. 15 had contact with the church, according to Health District Administrator Julie Pryde.
A now-deactivated decorative water fountain at the church is one suspected source of the infectious Legionella bacteria responsible for the disease, Pryde said. If water becomes contaminated with the bacteria, water features
such as fountains can become vectors for infection if people breathe in water that has been aerosolized, she said.
Health district officials aren’t disclosing the identities of other two investigation sites, she said. Results of the testing are expected within a couple of days.
From Fox 32 Chicago (w/ some extra details than local coverage):
6 cases of Legionnaires' reported among Champaign-Urbana residentsLocal coverage from the News-Gazette here.
Six residents have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease over the past month in the Champaign-Urbana area downstate.
The disease was potentially transmitted during wedding gatherings at the First Christian Church, 3601 S Staley Rd. in Champaign, according to a statement from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The state health department and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District were conducting an ongoing investigation into the cases Tuesday. No additional information about the residents was available.
Legionnaires’s disease is caused by a bacteria that is generally spread through water and water vapor — not through personal contact. Symptoms include potentially fatal pneumonia, high fever, chills and muscle pain, and it usually takes up to two weeks from exposure for the illness to manifest.
The disease has garnered a high profile after an outbreak at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in downstate Quincy left 13 of its residents dead and sickened dozens more since 2015. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is up for reelection next month, has been railed by his opponents for his response to the crisis.
The health department has been announcing new cases of Legionnaires’ since then, citing “an abundance of caution.”
About 300 cases of Legionnaires’ are reported across the state each year, the state health department said.
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