AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – Precautions are being taken at Auburn Community Hospital (ACH) when it comes to its water. The hospital said its Legionella testing showed unexpected abnormalities.
The test was done on Friday, March 17, and is routine. After the results came back, the hospital has taken more samples and those are being tested now at two different labs. The results could take a week or up to 10 days to come back.
Regulations with the New York State Health Department require hospitals and residential healthcare facilities to do this testing.
ACH is working with the health department and has a safety plan in place.
In a release sent to NewsChannel 9 that plan includes:
- Communicating to all employees, medical staff and patients.
- Providing bottled water to all patients/employees on floors.
- Daily flushing to clear any stagnant water & disperse disinfectant (Copper/Silver)
- Not allowing showers until new special filters are installed.
- Daily flushing of all tap & showers by the Facilities Department
- Monitoring all patients
The hospital says as of March 22, no patients have been impacted. It will continue with this protocol until it receives new test results.
Legionella is a bacteria that grows in water. It can cause Legionnaires’ disease which is a serious type of pneumonia.
According to the CDC, people can get sick when they breathe in small droplets of water or accidentally swallow water containing Legionella into the lungs.
