Health officials confirmed Wednesday they’ve detected the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ diseases at a Dearborn retirement facility, after two residents were sickened in June and July.
Both died, and a third non-fatal case from August of 2024 is also being assessed, according to a spokesperson for the Wayne County health department.
As part of the ongoing investigation into the cases at Allegria Village, a 55+ retirement and assisted living community, “testing of the affected area’s water system has detected the presence of Legionella bacteria, the organism that causes Legionnaires’ disease,” the Wayne County Health, Human, and Veterans Services department said in a statement attributed to chief medical officer Dr. Avani Sheth.
The county is now “supporting Allegria Village as they work to implement immediate response efforts, including disinfection and remediation of affected areas, temporary water restrictions and provision of alternative water sources where necessary, ongoing environmental testing to ensure effectiveness of remediation efforts, and educating residents and staff on seeking prompt medical evaluation if they develop symptoms.”
Residents Bob Ghena and Jean Peiffer said Allegria administrators held a meeting with residents Wednesday to tell them the Legionella bacteria had been confirmed. They were told the problem was confined to a single building, Ghena and Peiffer said Wednesday, and that residents had in that building had been instructed not to drink the water or use the showers temporarily. “They put water out on every floor,” Ghena said.
“We wish it didn’t happen, but it did,” Ghena said. “But they took the bull by the horns, and they they seem to be on top of it.”
“I’ve gone swimming in the pool, because they assured me that that's tested,” Peiffer said. “And the way they cure it is by chlorine, they said today, and they flush it out.”
Legionella bacteria can grow and spread in building water systems, according to the CDC, including big plumbing systems, cooling towers and centralized air-cooling systems. People are most likely to be exposed by breathing in mist containing the bacteria, including through showers.
Most people who are exposed don’t get sick, but some develop Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia. About 10% of cases are fatal, though that rate is closer to 25% when cases occur in healthcare settings. Outbreaks are typically “associated with large or complex water systems, like those found in hospitals, long-term care facilities, hotels, and cruise ships,” according to the CDC. And people who are over the age of 50 or have other underlying health problems are at higher risk.
Allegria Village (formerly known as Henry Ford Village) offers a range of care levels, including memory care as well as skilled nursing for short and long-term care, according to the company’s website. Allegria’s director of operations, Lexi Cousino, was unavailable, according to Cousino’s assistant and her automated email response. Cousino’s out-of-office message directed requests to Lindsay Pierce, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Legionnaires’ cases have been on the rise nationally over the last couple of decades, and New York City health officials are currently investigating a cluster of more than 60 cases in Harlem, including three deaths.
