The Minnesota Department of Health received two positive test results for Legionnaires’ Disease in the Crookston Inn hot tub.
However, neither sample was a match to the serogroup the four linked cases tested positive for said Doug Schultz, Department of Health Communications. “The investigation and the lab testing is final,” Schultz. “We did have a couple of positives. The spa did culture positive for two different types of Legionella pneumophila which is the type capable of causing human illness. It does indicate that the environmental conditions were conducive for Legionella growth. They weren’t the exact same serogroup or sub-type as the four cases but that’s not that unusual. Typically where there is Legionella growing you’re going to find multiple serogroups.”
According to Schultz, the Department of Health is confident the most likely source was the hot tub. But that the pool tested negative and has been reopened. “We’re confident that the most likely environmental source was the spa,” said Schultz. “The Crookston Inn has chosen to close that on their own. We didn’t tell them they had to. But if they wanted to keep it open we would’ve asked them to do another round of testing to confirm it was clean. But for whatever reason, they’ve decided to close it.”
The Department of Health considers the matter closed and staff at the Crookston Inn did not wish to comment as they work to move forward.
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