Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Legionella,Legionnaire's disease,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on July 23, 2026
The germ responsible for Legionnaires’ disease has been found in the water system of a building at Rochester Regional Health’s St. Mary’s Campus. A facility located in Upstate New York. Water restrictions have been implemented for several months until the situation is resolved.
Have there been reports of illnesses due to this contamination and are they connected to the current Upper East Side Legionnaires’ disease outbreak? How do you know if you are sick and what should you do if you experience symptoms?
Here’s what we know so far!
The routine water safety water monitoring program identified elevated levels of Legionella bacteria. The facility is working with New York State Department of Health to implement precautionary activities and continues to monitor the situation.
Officials indicate that bottled water is being used for drinking and brushing teeth in the facility that houses less than 150 short- and long-term residents. Alternative bathing arrangements are also being provided to both patients and residents.
These measures are expected to remain in place for at least three months. Which is when the next round of water testing is scheduled to take place.
Rochester Regional Health says that there has been no disruption to patient care at St. Mary’s Campus and that the risk to patients, visitors, residents, and employees remains low.
Rochester Regional Health has been made aware of a single possible Legionella surveillance illness that has a connection to St. Mary’s Campus. The patient had been at the facility during part of the period in which the illness may have been contracted.
However, health officials have not officially confirmed whether that person became sick from exposure at the campus.
Additional tests are necessary to confirm whether the patient sample and the water samples contain genetically related Legionella bacteria.
Certain groups of people are at higher risk of severe illnesses. While most normally healthy people exposed to Legionella do not become ill, the following people are more likely to become sick if exposed, and experience more severe illness if infected:
Those without these risk factors may still become sick, so it is important to test anyone developing symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease for this potentially deadly infection.
People who acquire Legionnaires’ disease in a healthcare setting are at increased risk of serious complications and death. Ordinarily the mortality rate is around 1 in 10. In a healthcare setting, that statistic rises to 1 in 4!
It is unclear where the patient became exposed to Legionella bacteria.
In addition to the exposure risk presented at Rochester Regional Health’s St. Mary’s Campus water system, a nearby Legionella exposure event sickening 84 people (66 hospitalizations) resulting in five deaths is ongoing.
Genetic information for Legionella bacteria in Upper East Side cooling towers is available for comparison once the patient sample is confirmed.
Legionnaires’ disease can only be diagnosed through specialized laboratory tests. Since it presents as typical pneumonia (even indistinguishable from pneumonia on x-rays), this illness is often underdiagnosed.
Common symptoms include:
Other Symptoms may include:
Most people begin feeling sick between two and 14 days after exposure. However, it can take longer for symptoms to appear in some cases.
If you become sick with pneumonia or flu-like symptoms after visiting, staying, or working at Rochester Regional Health St. Mary’s Campus, you may have Legionnaires’ disease. There are a few things you should consider to help yourself recover.
Legionnaires’ disease is deadly. Prompt treatment significantly improves possible outcomes. If you have become sick with pneumonia-like illness, seek medical attention immediately.
Do not wait!
Health care providers in the area have been notified of the community exposure situation. However, it is always important to advocate for yourself. Request a diagnostic test for Legionnaires’ disease. If your healthcare provider does not suggest one, notify them of the potential exposure risk.
If you test positive for this illness, your local health department will be notified following your diagnosis.
It is a good idea to make a list of places you have recently been.
If your illness is not directly connected to the Rochester Regional Health’s St. Mary’s Campus, a list of the places you have visited in the two weeks prior to becoming sick can help investigators narrow down the source.
Be sure to make the list as soon as you feel well enough to do so. The earlier you document this information, the more accurate it is likely to be.
If you have become sick from living, working, or visiting the Rochester Regional Health’s St. Mary’s Campus, you may have questions.
Legionnaires’ disease is a preventable illness often caused by lapses in required routine maintenance activities.
Medical bills, lost wages, caring for a loved one, and other burdens associated with Legionnaires’ disease add up. Who is responsible for these expenses? How can you recover those losses?
An experienced Legionnaires’ disease lawyer understands your situation and can assist you through the complicated legal process.
If you or a family member has visited or stayed at Rochester Regional Health’s St. Mary’s Campus and have been impacted by Legionnaires’ disease, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Legionnaires’ disease lawyer that can help.
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Don’t wait! Call today!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)