Private testing begins at Palm Springs pool infected with Legionnaires
Residents at the Four Seasons, a 55 and older community in Palm Springs, are going to have to find other places to cool off. As we first reported yesterday, despite triple-digit heat, the pool at the community has been shut down due to two cases of Legionnaires’ disease infections. Neighbors told KESQ & CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado those infections happened in January.
“L disease is a scary thing. This is a community of seniors and safety is the most important thing we have to do for our seniors here for our members,” said Jim Rush, the general manager of the community.
According to health experts, Legionnaires’ disease is a deadly bacterial lung infection and can be transmitted when people breathe droplets of bacteria-infected water.
The Center for Disease Control shut down the pool on Wednesday and today, a private lab, paid for by the Four Seasons, conducted tests on the pool. The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health was present to make sure everything was being down by the book.
“We wanna make sure that; number one, all the appropriate samples are taken; number two is that to see that the facility operator is going along with what the guidelines state,” said Doug Osborn of RIVCOEH.
Meanwhile, the Four Seasons’ spas are already slated for a deep clean.
“We’re gonna be doing some spa sanitizing protocols. We’re gonna be draining all of our spas and going through a sanitizing system with all of our filters, all of our filter medians will be removed and replaced,” Rush said.
Rush says he understands that the residents just want to cool off.
“Right now the only complaint I’m getting is timing because it’s so hot out here today people would love to be enjoying the pools,” Rush added.
The pools are expected to be closed for the next 7 to 10 days while those test results process.
In the meantime, to help with this heat. the Four Seasons management has coordinated for residents to use the pool at Arrive, a nearby hotel in Palm Springs.
