Sands Resort works to remediate Legionella after outbreak - Special ...
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9/5/2018 Sands Resort works to remediate Legionella after outbreak
Sands Resort works to remediate Legionella
after outbreak
By Max Sullivan msullivan@seacoastonline.com
Posted Sep 4, 2018 at 2:44 PM
Updated Sep 4, 2018 at 2:44 PM
HAMPTON — The Sands Resort is cleaning its water system to remove any
signs of Legionella bacteria this week as authorities continue to investigate a
Legionnaire’s disease cluster at the beach.
Hotel staff said an environmental and occupational health and safety consulting
firm arrived at the hotel Tuesday to remove any Legionella bacteria found in the
Sands’ water system, identified through testing by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
The hotel staff said the hope was to have it cleaned by the start of the Hampton
Beach Seafood Festival on Friday, though in a statement Sunday, they questioned
the CDC’s test practice and said about five or six other locations were tested for
the bacteria. Test results for other locations are expected to come later this week,
according to Jake Leon, spokesman for the state Department of Health and
Human Services.
A cluster of Legionnaire’s disease, contracted by inhaling airborne water droplets
that contain the Legionella bacteria, was identified by state health officials at
Hampton Beach Aug. 24. The illnesses are believed to have been contracted
between June 14 and Aug. 24, according to state officials. At least 12 people have
been hospitalized, and one, an elderly person from out-of-state, has died.
DHHS announced the test results for the Sands Sunday and stated the hotel at 32
Ashworth Ave. was ordered to remediate the bacteria and notify current and
future guests of the recent outbreak. Legionella was found in the Sands’ hot tub,
water heater, outdoor shower hose and on the shower and sink heads in three
units, DHHS told the Sands in its order Sunday.
http://www.fosters.com/news/20180904/sands-resort-works-to-remediate-legionella-after-outbreak 1/39/5/2018 Sands Resort works to remediate Legionella after outbreak
Testing at the Sands occurred Aug. 29, according to hotel ownership. Sands
owner Tom Saab was not immediately available for comment Tuesday, but his
hotel’s statement released to media states five or six businesses in addition to the
Sands were tested and that results for those tests have not come back yet. Leon
said those other test results are hoped to be released this week, though it is
unknown what day that will be.
Hotel ownership questioned the CDC’s testing by arguing the agency should
have allowed the water it tested at the Sands to run a couple minutes longer to
show it could reach temperatures high enough to kill Legionella bacteria. They
said CDC testing in some cases showed the hot water in some locations was
between 106 and 112 degrees Fahrenheit with temperatures above 110 degrees
being enough to kill the bacteria.
After the test was done, staff ran water for three to four minutes and saw water
temperatures reach 125 to 130 degrees, according to the Sands.
“We are just saying in any business, hotel or even your own home, you must run
the hot water long enough to get a true reading,” the Sands stated.
Leon said he could not immediately comment Tuesday on the validity of the
hotel’s claims regarding water temperature.
Staff at the Sands, ownership said, has cooperated fully with local, state and
federal authorities and complied with all requests during the investigation.
The Sands stated nine of the people found to have Legionnaire’s disease visited
the hotel, but it argues there is no proof they actually contracted the disease
during their stay. The first cases of Legionnaire’s that occurred in June,
according to the hotel, were not people who stayed at or visited the Sands. Sands
ownership also stated 3,000 to 4,000 people have been at the Sands in August.
“The state health department representatives acknowledge that this has been a
very rare, unique and difficult case to figure out throughout Hampton Beach,”
Sands ownership stated.
The hot tub’s water is drained and completely cleaned two to three times every
week and refilled with fresh water, according to the hotel, and a new filter
system and pump system were installed in the spring.
http://www.fosters.com/news/20180904/sands-resort-works-to-remediate-legionella-after-outbreak 2/39/5/2018 Sands Resort works to remediate Legionella after outbreak
The Sands also stated some of its staff are longtime smokers and smokers are
considered by health officials to be more susceptible to contracting Legionnaire’s
disease.
The hotel argued the CDC did not test Aquarion Water Company’s recently
installed water meter. It argued a consultant the Sands recently contracted,
Resource EHS America, stated the CDC should have tested a sample from that
water meter.
Legionnaire’s disease is a potentially serious bacterial pneumonia. State
epidemiologist Benjamin Chan said the most common source is warm fresh
water or wet soil. It cannot be contracted by drinking or coming into physical
contact with water containing the bacteria, including swimming.
DHHS ordered the Sands to immediately post signage notifying guests and
visitors of the Legionnaire’s outbreak; notify all guests at the time of check-in
and reservation of the outbreak; hire a Legionella consultant or environmental
consulting firm to conduct an assessment within 48 hours and initiate
remediation actions within 24 hours of hire; have an assessment performed by
the consultant within 24 hours of hire and perform a written summary of actions
taken toward remediation at least every 48 hours; perform ongoing Legionella
testing to confirm remediation and report results to DHHS.
http://www.fosters.com/news/20180904/sands-resort-works-to-remediate-legionella-after-outbreak 3/39/5/2018 Number of Legionnaire’s Disease cases in NH rises to 15 – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
Number of Legionnaire’s Disease cases in
NH rises to 15
Legionnaires Disease in Hampton, NH
Frank O'Laughlin
HAMPTON, N.H. (WHDH) - Health officials have confirmed another case of Legionnaire’s Disease in
Hampton, New Hampshire, bringing the number of cases to 15, one which proved to be fatal.
RELATED: NH health officials: Sands Resort ordered to remediate Legionella bacteria
The New Hampshire Department of Health is continuing to investigate an outbreak in the area associated
with Ashworth Avenue between Island Path and M Street in Hampton.
Preliminary environmental culture results from the Sands Resort and other locations sampled during the
community investigation are expected to be available in the coming days.
The resort has been ordered to take immediate steps to remediate the Legionella bacteria at the resort and
notify guests of the bacteria.
The 15 victims are believed to have acquired their infections between early June and mid-August.
As a precaution, the DPHS has closed the hot tub spas at the Sands Hotel and the Harris Sea Ranch Motel,
though they pointed out the hot tubs no longer present a potential risk to the public and both hotels remain
open.
Health officials say those most at risk of developing the infection are:
• People with weakened immune systems
• People who take drugs that can weaken their immune systems (after a transplant operation or
chemotherapy)
• People with chronic lung disease
• Current or former smokers
• People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure
• People 50 years or older
https://whdh.com/news/number-of-legionnaires-disease-cases-in-nh-rises-to-15/ 1/29/5/2018 Number of Legionnaire’s Disease cases in NH rises to 15 – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News Although most people exposed to Legionella will not get sick, it can cause severe illness and sometimes result in death. Legionnaire’s disease is acquired from breathing in small drops of water that contain the bacteria. It cannot be passed from person to person contact and it cannot be contracted by drinking or coming into physical contact with water containing the bacteria. Samples collected have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control laboratory in Atlanta. If you have information or questions about this outbreak, please call the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Public Inquiry Line by calling 603-271-9461. There’s also a CDC webpage dedicated to the outbreak at https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/index.html. https://whdh.com/news/number-of-legionnaires-disease-cases-in-nh-rises-to-15/ 2/2
8/27/2018 Cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in Hampton
Cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in
Hampton
Four people contracted infection
Updated: 11:53 PM EDT Aug 25, 2018
Tim Callery
Reporter
Siobhan Lopez
Reporter
HAMPTON, N.H. — Four people contracted Legionnaires' disease in Hampton, state
health officials said, and more cases are possible.
The state Department of Health and Human Services said the four people contracted
the illness near Ashworth Avenue between Island Path and H Street in Hampton at the
end of July or in early August. Officials are working to determine the source of the
infection.
The area is near Hampton Beach.
The potentially serious bacterial infection develops after inhaling contaminated water
droplets. It is not spread by other people or by drinking water.
Showers, hot tubs and faucets can be sources of the bacteria-contaminated droplets,
officials said.
https://www.wmur.com/article/cluster-of-legionnaires-disease-reported-in-hampton/22830171 1/38/27/2018 Cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in Hampton
"Most of the time, people that develop this infection acquire it just from the natural
environment because it's widespread in water and moist soil," said Dr. Benjamin Chan,
the state epidemiologist.
Officials said most people exposed to the infection don't get sick, but it can cause
illness and death in some cases. Symptoms are similar to that of pneumonia.
The four people who contracted the infection have all been treated and released.
In the past five years, New Hampshire has averaged about 32 cases per year of
Legionnaires' disease, Chan said, but seeing a cluster is rare.
"We have not investigated a cluster ... in the last 10 to 15 years," he said.
Out of an abundance of caution, officials are advising people over 50, current or former
smokers, those with lung disease, or those with weakened immune systems to
consider avoiding the area of Ashworth Avenue between Island Path and H Street in
Hampton.
https://www.wmur.com/article/cluster-of-legionnaires-disease-reported-in-hampton/22830171 2/3You can also read
