Clinic Tentatively Cleared in Suspected Legionnaire’s Case

Orange County health officials have tentatively concluded that a county-run clinic in Westminster is not harboring the bacteria that cause Legionnaire’s disease.

Although results of a few laboratory tests remain to be completed, Dr. George Gellert, the county’s epidemiologist, said Friday that there is “no reason” to believe the building is contaminated.

Gellert said no further water samples would be taken from the clinic’s air-conditioning system, a common breeding area for the legionella bacteria.

The unusual building examinations began two weeks ago when a complaint was filed with the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration involving a county employee who became ill, showing symptoms that her physician believed could be Legionnaire’s disease.

Cal-OSHA has been conducting an independent inquiry, but those results are not expected to be available until next week, said Jim Brown, OSHA’s local district manager. Brown said the state agency was also involved in conducting further tests on water samples taken from the air-conditioning system.

Both Gellert and Brown said they did not know whether the sick employee had been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s. But Gellert said that if the employee was found to be ill with the sometimes-fatal disease, it would be more likely that the infection was contracted from a source outside the clinic.

At no time did the woman’s illness or conditions within the Beach Boulevard facility pose a health risk to people who use the clinic, or to the 120 employees who work there, officials said.