Six Cases of Legionnaires' Confirmed at San Quentin

Six cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been confirmed at the San Quentin State Prison as of Sunday, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Five of the patients are being treated at outside hospitals.

In addition, approximately 51 inmates are currently under observation for respiratory illness but have not been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. All unconfirmed cases are being treated at the facility’s on-site medical unit.

To eliminate the spread of the bacteria, the prison has limited water use. However, the use of plumbed toilets inside the facility’s housing units has resumed. Bottled water and water tanks will continue to be used until it is safe to resume normal water use, officials said.

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Legionnaires’ At San Quentin Complicating Prison Routine

Inmates are currently being served boxed meals to avoid exposure to steam and mist during cooking operations.
Portable shower units arrived at the prison on Saturday. Administrators and custody staff are coordinating to provide all inmates with showers and hope to resume out-of-cell activity as soon as possible.

Intake of new inmates as well as inmate visiting and volunteer programs have currently been halted as the investigation continues. The prison receives its water supply from the Marin County Municipal Water District and stores the water in a three-million gallon tank on-site.

The intake of new inmates was stopped after one was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday.

The disease spreads through aerosolized water, such as steam, mist and moisture, CDCR officials said. Prison officials said they are limiting water use at the prison now, allowing the use of plumbed toilets and monitoring water used for cooking.