Saturday, September 15, 2012

At least two people have died from complications with Legionnaire's disease and eight other confirme




At least two people have died from complications with Legionnaire's disease and eight other confirmed cases after staying at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Chicago. NBC 5 Dick Johnson reports on what measures the hotel is taking to ensure safety and how current guests are reacting.
Thomas Keane, 66, of Ireland, died on Wednesday and is the latest comfort inn by the bay victim, according to a Chicago Tribune report. Keane was in Chicago visiting his son and contracted the bacteria while dining in the hotel to celebrate his 40th wedding anniversary with his wife, the report said.
We are secure in the testing results reported by [Illinois Department of Health] that have informed this investigation and are encouraged by the hotels' cooperation and remediation plan, said Dr. Kathy Ritger, the Medical Director over Communicable Disease at the Chicago Department of Public Health. We believe there is no ongoing public health risk at the hotel at this time.
Two people died earlier this week following their stays at the hotel between July 16 and August 15. There are seven other confirmed comfort inn by the bay cases of the illness, the Chicago Department of Public Health said in a statement.
People who stayed at the hotel between those dates, and who are experiencing symptoms consistent with pneumonia, or who have been diagnosed with pneumonia, should contact a doctor to discuss or modify treatment, the department said.
Legionnaires disease is contracted by breathing comfort inn by the bay in mist or vapors from water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria and usually develops two to 14 days after exposure. It frequently begins with headache, high fever and chills, and progresses by the second or third day to include a cough, chest pain and shortness of breath.

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