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FLINT (WJRT) (6/12/2019) – The state is forcing the McLaren-Flint hospital to redouble its efforts to prevent legionnaire's disease.
Federal and state public health officials believe that the hospital could be at the root of five recent cases of legionellosis.
McLaren has denied this conclusion and believes that other factors are at the root of the diseases. Regulators say the hospital has refused to implement the state's recommendations and control centers and disease prevention.
Michigan's Department of Health and Social Services issued an order Wednesday requiring McLaren-Flint to immediately comply with water restrictions, patient notification, data requests, public health investigations and official recommendations.
"The ministry has attempted to work with McLaren-Flint to ensure that all appropriate measures are taken in a timely manner to protect the health, safety, and well-being of patients, staff, and visitors. 39; health facility, "said the Michigan Department of Health. Director of Social Services, Robert Gordon. "Prompt compliance with this order will minimize health risks for McLaren patients."
The state is asking McLaren to take the following preventive measures:
– Restrict showers and make sponge baths instead.
– Avoid exposure to jet tubs.
– Installation of biological filters on showerheads and faucets.
– Provide a different supply of drinking water.
– Notify all current patients and patients discharged after April 21st of legionellosis problems.
– Transmit all water analysis results to the state within seven days of taking samples.
– Cooperate with federal and state investigators and provide them with any requested information.
Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia that is spread by water droplets. Legionella bacteria are naturally present in water, but can become too concentrated in hot, confined environments.
McLaren believes that patients contracted some of the Legionnaires' cases outside the hospital and sought treatment there, which led health officials to point the finger at the hospital as source.
"Our hospital is treating sick people, including those who come to our facility with Legionnaires' disease contracted from a community source," McLaren-Flint said in a statement. "Despite considerable evidence to the contrary, including a 100 percent increase in Genesee County last year, the state continually assigns these cases to our facility."
The hospital said it had shared 863 water samples and more than 3,000 other measurements in its water with regulatory agencies and the Genesee County Health Department. Local and state public health officials were in hospital Tuesday to collect water samples.
"Yet, today, on the eve of another major court event regarding criminal charges against former MDHHS employees, the ministry is publishing this very public effort against our facility," the statement said. from McLaren.
State officials have stated that hospital actions have so far not adequately addressed concerns and recommendations.
"The measures taken by the hospital have been insufficient to address the legionella problems that prevent it from providing an acceptable level of care for the health and safety of the public," said Orlene Hawks, director of the department. licensing and regulatory affairs of Michigan. "Our order obliges the hospital to take additional measures to protect the Michiganders and to ensure compliance with the Public Health Code."
McLaren says she could sue the state.
McLaren-Flint was the subject of a survey for Legionella contamination during the Flint water crisis from 2014 to 2016. Public health officials estimate that three patients may have contracted Legionnaires at the hospital in 2018.
Two other suspected cases related to McLaren-Flint patients were reported in 2019. One of these patients spent 10 days in the hospital during the period of Legionnaires' incubation.
State officials said McLaren had agreed to let the CDC help him investigate the situation, but the hospital is imposing limits that he believes could affect the outcome.
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