Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs officials on Wednesday confirmed two residents at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy recently contracted Legionnaires' disease, according to the Herald-Whig.
One of the residents died last week. However, officials said the death was not a direct result of the illness, as the patient had a long and complex medical history. Veterans Home staff members are monitoring patients as officials test the facility's water supply. The source of the infection is currently unknown.
"The clinical indications (from the two cases) are not matching with our water quality results," said Troy Culbertson, an administrator at the VA facility, according to the Herald-Whig. "We have had very good water quality results for this whole year. In fact, none of our sites on campus are testing positive."
In the summer of 2015, the state VA department initiated a $5 million extensive rehabilitation of the Veterans Home after an outbreak of Legionnaires' at the facility sickened 53 residents, contributing to 12 deaths, according to the Herald-Whig.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. It is transmitted through the inhalation of small droplets of contaminated water. The bacteria can be particularly harmful to the elderly individuals with lung disease and those with compromised immune systems.
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