Legionella case confirmed at nursing facility; residents restricted from showers, tap water
By Jolie Sherman
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BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (WXYZ) — A Legionella case has been confirmed at a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Bloomfield Hills, prompting water use restrictions for residents and an ongoing investigation by the Oakland County Health Department.
The case involves Woodward Hills Rehabilitation. Residents have been restricted from showering and using tap water while health officials investigate the source of the contamination.
The Oakland County Health Department said a sample was collected from a patient on June 3. The following day, the facility proactively collected water samples. On June 5, the state health department notified the Oakland County Health Department of the confirmed case.
Tavia Hill’s 81-year-old mother is temporarily living at the facility and has been there for nearly two weeks. Hill said her mother has not had a bath in days.
“My mom is using wipes, you know, these body wipes. For someone with a pre-existing health condition, they need a bath,” Hill said.
Hill said she received no information about the water contamination until she reached out to 7 News Detroit.
“We’ve been there a little over a week, but no answers. Until I reached out to you, I got nothing,” Hill said.
The facility declined to comment when contacted by 7 News Detroit.
Dr. Michael Swain, an epidemiologist with the Oakland County Health Department, said the shower restriction is a precautionary measure tied to how Legionella spreads.
“We asked the facility, required the facility, to use sponge baths instead of showers because Legionella, to cause Legionnaires’ disease, has to aerosolize, and showers are an important risk in buildings like this. So we don’t want the showers used until filters are installed,” Swain said.
Swain said filters are expected to be installed by next week. The facility will then undergo 9 rounds of testing, a process expected to take 6 months.
Kate Guzman, a registered nurse and health officer with the Oakland County Health Department, said visitors, guests, and staff face limited risk from common activities.
“When we’re thinking about safety of visitors and guests and staff, I know people immediately think about drinking water and eating food, and those aren’t risky activities in terms of Legionella transmission,” Guzman said.
Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious diseases professor at Wayne State University, explained how Legionella spreads and why a single confirmed case warrants close attention in a facility setting.
“It’s not contagious from person to person. The transmission happens through contaminated water systems, air conditioning systems,” Chopra said. “It all depends on where the case was acquired. If it is from the facility, it is significant. If the problem is in the water system of the facility, then other residents are at risk.”
The Oakland County Health Department said it is still too early to determine whether the case originated at the facility. The investigation is ongoing.
Hill said her concerns extend beyond her own mother.
“I’m very concerned, not just about my mom, but the other residents, like I said, there are a lot of aging people, that are in their 80s, 90s, 100,” Hill said.
7 News Detroit received the following statement from Woodward Hills:
Woodward Hills Health & Rehab is under a partial water restriction as there has been a case of Legionnaires reported to our community. Although the source of the legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires, has yet to be identified, once we learned of this development, we reported it to the Oakland County Department of Health and are working collaboratively with the Health Department to determine what the significance is, if any, of these results. In an abundance of caution we have also retained an independent water testing firm to further evaluate the recent test results and to develop an action plan moving forward. We have completed facility‑wide water testing, implemented all recommended precautionary measures, transitioned to a separate water supply while we await results, and will continue to work closely with the Oakland County Health Department.
Woodward Hills Health & Rehab continues to be committed to providing high quality care to those residents and families we have the privilege to serve. We would like to thank the Oakland County Health Department for their prompt response and guidance. We would also like to thank our residents, their families, and our devoted staff for their support. We will continue to provide all relevant parties with the most current information as it is made available to us.
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