The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says it’s concluded its investigation into an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Orillia and that there’s no further risk of transmission associated with the cluster.
“There were a total of 10 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ associated with the cluster,” Charles Gardner, the health unit’s medical officer of health, said in a statement.
“Nine of the patients are now out of hospital, and it is believed that one fatality may be related to this cluster.”
According to Gardner, no new cases have been identified since early October
The health unit’s investigation, which was announced on Oct. 11, determined that the strain of Legionella found in the Rotary Place cooling tower was a close match in two cases of Legionnaires’ disease.
The Rotary Place cooling tower was fully disinfected after tests showed higher levels of Legionella bacteria in late October.
Follow-up tests that have come back have been unable to detect Legionella.
“On behalf of the City of Orillia, I would like to express our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of the individual who passed away and to those who have fallen ill,” Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke said in a statement.
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“The City of Orillia has worked closely with the health unit throughout the entire investigation and will continue to do so to help ensure this does not happen again.”
Gardner said the health unit will be conducting a post-incident review of best practices and advocacy to develop policy regarding the prevention of Legionnaires’ in water systems, including cooling towers.
The Rotary Place cooling tower has a regular maintenance program that includes bi-weekly chemical treatment and an annual test for Legionella bacteria by a third-party contractor.
The annual test for Legionella at Rotary Place was completed on Sept. 19. The City was advised that Legionella levels were undetectable at that time.
The health unit says the city’s maintenance program meets the expected standard of care but that there’s no provincial regulation regarding the maintenance of cooling towers.
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