A source tell CBS 2 that three patients and an employee at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn have been infected with Legionnaires’ Disease.
State health officials are sending investigators after reports of legionella, the bacteria that causes the disease, CBS 2 has learned.
The hospital has run tests and confirmed the Legionella bacteria infections, sources say.
Legionnaires’ Disease is a form of pneumonia that can lead to death. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, muscle pains, and headaches.
The length of time between exposure to Legionella bacteria and the appearance of symptoms typically is 2-10 days.
The disease is not transmitted person to person, but primarily by consuming contaminated water.
Officials are working to determine if the outbreak occurred inside the hospital or somewhere else.
“It’s kind of scary to hear that’s happened to my hospital,” said patient Juanita henry.
“Apprehensive, a little afraid, but we’ll see how I feel in the next two months when I have to come back here. Maybe it’ll be cleared by then.”
Mariah Monzon said she’s glad she and her son didn’t drink any tap water at the hospital.
“I had apple juice, and they gave my son a smoothie,” she said.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has dispatched a team to the hospital to run tests of their o
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