Legionnaires' disease investigated at Illinois capitol
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) - An Illinois resident has been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease, leading to an investigation of the Capitol Complex and a hotel in Springfield.
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Saturday that one resident has been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s, a bacterial disease of the lungs caused by a bacteria called Legionella.
Water samples recently collected from the Capitol Complex tested positive for Legionella, according to the health department.
The department said they are gathering information about the patient’s recent travels and potential sources of exposure to the bacteria.
No additional information about the patient was available, said the department.
Initial symptoms of the disease include high fevers of up to 105 degrees, chills, muscle pain and headaches, said the department.
The health department and Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs have been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat outbreaks of the disease at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy, with Gov. Bruce Rauner in January vowing to upgrade its water systems. 13 residents at the home have died from Legionnaires’ disease since July 2015.