A resident at the state-run veterans home in Quincy has tested positive for both COVID-19 and Legionnaires’ disease, according to the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.
CLAIM: People are getting Legionnaires’ disease from bacteria in masks and the cases are being mistaken for coronavirus, driving the spike in cases.
Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a bill that requires the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs to provide quarterly reports on the health of veterans under state care. The law resulted from the deaths of 13 residents from Legionnaires’ disease at the Quincy Veterans Home since 2015. IDVA has instituted a number of efforts to identify the source of the disease and implement remedies. However, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease is very common in Illinois’ environment and efforts have not been completely successful in eradicating the problem.
Gov. Bruce Rauner says the state will spend about $3 million to help build a new water source in a western Illinois community where Legionnair…