Evanston hotel linked to two Legionnaires’ disease cases
EVANSTON, Ill. - Two confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease have prompted an investigation at a north suburban hotel.
Evanston Legionnaires’ disease cases
The Illinois Department of Public Health conducted water sampling and an environmental investigation at the Hilton Garden Inn North Shore/Evanston on Sept. 8.
Both people who became sick reported using the hotel’s pool and hot tub areas in August. Those areas have been closed since Sept. 2.
Hilton Garden Inn North Shore/Evanston
Laboratory testing found Legionella bacteria in the water system connected to the hot tub. Water samples from other areas of the hotel did not detect the bacteria.
IDPH has provided the hotel with guidance on properly cleaning and treating the affected areas.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by inhaling small droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria. People can become sick within two weeks of exposure.
The disease is not spread from person to person.
Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not develop the illness. People at higher risk include those who are 50 or older, current or former smokers, people with chronic diseases and those with weakened immune systems.
What's next:
The hotel’s spa area will remain closed while remediation is completed.
The Source: The information in this story came from the City of Evanston, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).