Health Officials Investigating Legionnaires' Outbreak

From the City of Geneva:

September 18, 2019

State and Kane County health officials are investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has spread to 14 confirmed cases in Batavia as of Sept. 18.The Illinois Department of Public Health recently confirmed two community-based cases of the disease combined with 12 previous cases detected at Covenant Living at Holmstad in Batavia.

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection (pneumonia) that people can get by breathing in small droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria. It is not transmitted person-to-person.

Outbreaks are most commonly associated with buildings or structures that have complex water systems, like hotels, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships. The bacterium can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made water systems, like hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems, and decorative fountains.

The investigation and additional testing are ongoing. For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health's website or the Kane County Health Department's website.

This press release was produced by the City of Geneva. The views expressed here are the author’s own.