Updated at: 02/26/2008 11:21:55 AM

Investigators from the state Health Department were on a conference call with Rochester General Hospital officials today after a former patient was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease.
It is still unclear today if the woman who now has the respiratory disease contracted it while at the hospital or somewhere else. Today the focus is on taking precautions.
Hospital officials say the entire hospital and adjacent office buildings are now using only bottled water. Drinking fountains have been turned off and bathing kits are being used instead of allowing showers.
These steps are in place while the state continues its investigation and decides if additional measures should be taken. We talked to a state health department spokesman who says it’s unclear how long it will take to test the water; Legionnaires' is transmitted through a water source or moist soil.
Health officials say the average person at the hospital should not be concerned. Dr. Ed Walsh, Infectious Disease Expert, said, “We are prospectively and retrospectively evaluating the possibility of any other cases at this point we have no evidence that there are any other cases but that is an ongoing investigation.”
Its unclear if short-term changes to the hospitals water filtration system will be necessary, like adding more chlorine.
http://www.whec.com/article/stories/S356434.shtml?cat=577
 
 
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