Legionnaires' outbreak results in $50K upgrades to Alderney Manor

Nova Scotia's health minister says the provincial government is taking measures "beyond what was recommended" at Alderney Manor in Dartmouth, where an outbreak of legionnaires' disease resulted in the death of one woman and sent four others to hospital.

Community Services is flushing the pipes in the building with hot water and installing a copper-silver ionization system to treat bothhot and cold water.

"I'm very, very pleased that not just temporary but very strong, permanent features will be added to the building with the ionization process to handle not just the hot water, which is always what is only recommended, but will also do the same for cold water use as well," said Leo Glavine.

"I feel that those measures taken are strong, and actually beyond what was recommended."

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Last week, pipes running through all units in the building were flushed with hot water and treated with a leased copper-silverionizationsystem for a second time.

Glavinesays cold water will be added to theionizationprocess "very shortly."

Community Services says the water treatment work prompted by the legionnaires' outbreakwill cost about $50,000. The government had previouslycommitted to spending $1.33 million upgrading the building's lobby, bathrooms, windows and driveway, a spokesperson confirmed.

Beverly Roma, one of the building's residents, died on Saturday. Roma had been hospitalized since Aug. 27 after contracting legionnaires' disease.

"One's heart breaks for a family that had a very, very strong mother who had spent 19 years of her life in this building. And like any older building it did get regular maintenance. Now there is a major piece of work going on," Glavine said Thursday.

The health ministersaid health and community services officials are prepared to respond to any concerns people still have.

He also said the Department of the Environment is still investigating the exact source of legionella, which is spread by water mist, often through showers and air conditioners.

Symptoms of legionnaires's disease include fever, chills, muscle aches and diarrhea. It's more common among older people and is fatal in 15 per cent of cases.