(PRESS RELEASE) STRYKER – Officials at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio are implementing safety measures at the facility after an inmate tested positive for legionella bacteria following an eight[1]day stay at a nearby hospital.
“Until we can get the testing done on the water, we’re going to be doing what we can to eliminate potential exposure.”
“It’s a difficult situation because we house hundreds of people here every day and shutting down water will be a huge ordeal. But it’s necessary for everyone’s safety,” said Dennis Sullivan, Executive Director at the Stryker jail.
The jail has been in contact with both the Williams County Health Department (WCHD) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) after being notified of the positive test result, and are working closely with Water Management Advisors out of Bowling Green.
Legionella incubation is anywhere from 2 to 14 days, therefore requiring both the jail and the hospital to follow recommended safety protocols.
Measures being taken are precautionary at this point. Testing will occur Friday and results are expected within four days.
On advice from the ODH and Water Management Advisors group, the facility is shutting off water and providing staff and inmates with bottled/filtered water.
Filters for showers and sinks were approved at an emergency meeting Friday morning for use during the testing period.
Results from the water testing will guide any further action the jail takes to clear the issue. The jail’s medical staff has triaged every inmate housed at the facility to assess if there could be others positive for the bacteria.
“So far, no other inmates or staff are presenting symptoms,” commented Sullivan.