Illinois Veterans Home Resident Treated for Legionnaire’s Disease
Another case of Legionnaire's Disease has been diagnosed in Quincy.
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and Illinois Department of Public Health officials say a resident of the Illinois Veterans Home is recovering after being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. That resident was diagnosed while being treated at a local hospital and has since been released. A 2015 outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the Illinois Veterans Home led to an extensive renovation of the facility’s plumbing system. Legionella bacteria also occurs naturally in the environment but that is rarely identified as a source in Legionnaires cases. The CDC reports there has been a rise in the number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease over the past 15 years, with 6,000 cases reported nationwide in 2015. Approximately 300 cases are reported each year across Illinois.