HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia Health Authority confirmed Wednesday that a patient diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease has died.
Her family confirms Beverly Veronica Roma died on Saturday at the age of 78. She is remembered by her family as someone who loved playing bingo, cards and spending time with her family, according to an obituary in The Chronicle Herald.
“Her greatest joy was her grandchildren,” the obituary reads.
A Legionnaires’ outbreak was reported earlier this month at Alderney Manor, after several cases were confirmed at the senior’s home in Dartmouth.
Two more were identified after previously diagnosed cases of pneumonia were retested and determined to be Legionnaires’ disease.
No source of legionella bacteria has been confirmed, but public health officials put restrictions on water use in the building.
The provincial housing authority is now installing a disinfection system.
Minister Joanne Bernard maintained on Thursday that the housing units are safe, despite the fact that renovations slated to cost over $1-million have been put on hold.
“We have health and safety protocols,” Bernard said. “There are guidelines, there are provincial standards, we abide by them above and beyond.”
Bernard said that at the time the outbreak was confirmed earlier this month they did discuss moving the tenants, but decided against it.
“It was determined that that didn’t need to happen because very quickly the source was identified,” Bernard said.
Bernard also said the province is investing in a $50,000 ion silver copper machine for Alderney Manor so “this will never happen again.”
The NSHA confirmed the patient’s death with permission from the family. A spokesperson for the authority would not confirm the condition of the four other patients who had been diagnosed with the disease.
More to come.
With files from Natasha Pace, Rhonda Brown, Julia Wong.
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