Share

Hospital reports patient death amid Legionnaires outbreak

Share

GROVE CITY, Ohio (AP) — A patient has died amid an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in a recently opened hospital, authorities said.

The patient who died Sunday was among the seven who had been diagnosed with the disease after being hospitalized at Mount Carmel Grove City, Mount Carmel Health System said. It’s too early, however, to determine the final cause of death, said Dr. Richard Streck, chief clinical operations officer for the system.

The hospital is working with state and county health officials to identify the source of the bacteria, Streck said. It is running tests, implementing water restrictions and doing supplemental disinfection of the water supply, he said.

Patients who develop a cough, muscle aches, headaches, fever or shortness of breath after being hospitalized should contact their primary doctor, Streck said.

The first Mount Carmel Grove City patient diagnosed with Legionnaires’, a severe form of pneumonia, was admitted to the 200-bed hospital April 29, the day after it opened, the Ohio Department of Health said in a statement Friday. The department ordered the hospital to test and clean its ice machines, clean and service its on-site cooling towers, and provide all test results and a water management plan to the Health Department.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

People are infected with Legionnaires’ by inhaling airborne water droplets containing the Legionella bacterium, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cooling towers containing water and a fan as part of a centralized cooling system are a potential source for Legionella, the CDC says.

While most healthy people are unaffected, those over 50, smokers and others with weakened immune systems and chronic lung disease are most at risk of being infected, the CDC says.

The Mount Carmel system has been under intense scrutiny after discovering that a doctor had prescribed excessive doses of painkillers to 29 patients who died at its other hospitals.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation