Legionnaires' disease discovered in water at Orange County assisted-living facility

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Relatives of residents at an Orange County assisted-living facility said they fear someone else could get sick after the Florida Department of Health discovered a potentially fatal bacteria in the facility's water system.

The agency said it began its investigation about two months ago, when an 80-year-old man almost died from Legionnaires' disease at the Plantation Oaks Senior Living on South Orange Blossom Trail near Consulate Drive.

Officials said they discovered Legionella bacteria in seven of nine water samples it tested.

They said they suggested that the facility hire a water safety expert to flush the system and clean the water.

They also suggested that management notify residents, staff members and visitors of their risk of exposure to the illness.

Officials also advised that the facility's residents take sponge baths instead of showers and that they use bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth.

A relative of a resident who asked to not be identified said that management hasn't effectively communicated what has happened at the facility.

The person said staff members placed a memo in residents' mailboxes in August, about a month after the man tested positive for the disease.

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The memo advised residents to not shower, because the facility's water filtration system was being upgraded, but it didn't mention the Legionella bacteria that was discovered in the water.

"If they don't pick up the memo, they're not going to know," the resident's relative said. "And if they're not visiting them regularly, they're not even going to know they're not taking a shower."

The health department can make safety recommendations, but it cannot force staff members to follow those recommendations.

Channel 9's Lauren Seabrook called the facility several times Thursday and left voice messages for its executive director, but she hasn't heard back.

Cox Media Group