Metro independent living facility battling Legionnaire's in water system
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) - A resident at a metro independent living facility recently died from Legionnaires Disease, which is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella that grows in warm water. Further state health department testing found the bacteria in their water system.
"We're lost," 3-year resident of Autumn House in Midwest City Carleen Sporn said. "We're just a bunch of old people trying to survive."
Sporn got a letter sent out by management on Monday evening describing the situation, which put her on edge.
"We're all concerned about our safety," Sporn said. "I'm concerned because we're an old folks home. I mean, we can die of anything."
The letter she got goes on to say the resident had recently traveled so "we cannot definitively state that he was infected at Autumn House." The testing from the State Department of Health found 19 different cases with the bacteria.
"They're telling us they're going to fix it, but we don't know when," Sporn said.
The homes executive director said they are treating their drinkable water system and forming a treatment plan for long term control. There's no date for the treatment yet. The home issued a statement that you can read in full below.
"Autumn House is very concerned about the well-being of our residents and have been working diligently with health authorities to take all appropriate steps to protect their health. We are looking forward to finishing the remediation for this bacteria, which we have come to understand can be found in many locations, and returning to normal activities within our community."
The bacteria isn't spread person to person, but instead by inhaling mists or droplets from an infected area. So, for now as a precaution, residents are encouraged to take sponge baths and drink bottled water.
"We need help. We just want some answers," Sporn said.
In the letter, the home also said they emptied their ice machine to clean it. They recommend residents buy bagged ice for now. The bacteria can also cause two other less serious illnesses than Legionnaire's but the home tells KFOR that no other people have turned up sick.