Even as institutional and commercial facilities nationwide continue dealing with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on HVAC and IAQ, an old foe has emerged in several high-profile facilities: Legionnaires’ disease.
The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) is investigating cases of Legionnaires’ disease among guests of two Las Vegas hotels, according to USA Today.
Two guests who stayed at Caesars Palace and another who stayed at The Orleans Hotel & Casino were diagnosed with the illness, according to a news release. The disease is caused by Legionella bacteria. The Caesars Palace customers stayed at the hotel roughly seven months apart in 2022 and 2023, according to a spokesperson for operator Caesars Entertainment. While environmental samples from the property previously tested positive for Legionella, it was not detected in the most recent testing, according to SNHD.
The Orleans Hotel & Casino guest was recently identified following an investigation earlier this year after two other confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported. Post-remediation testing following those cases did not detect Legionella, but environmental samples have since tested positive. The hotel is undergoing remediation and environmental testing to ensure elimination of the bacteria to protect the health and safety of guests, SNHD said.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
