The CEO of a suburban Chicago school district says elevated levels of Legionella bacteria discovered at three schools were limited to the buildings’ cooling systems. The schools and office were immediately evacuated following the discoveries, which took place during annual inspections of cooling towers at the schools.
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The buildings included a high school, middle school and one that houses central offices and a separate high school program for District U-46 headquartered in Elgin northwest of Chicago, Chief Executive Tony Sanders said in a statement. The students and staff were evacuated after the Wednesday morning discovery. “So what we did today was just a precaution”, Sanders said.
Most individuals who come into contact with Legionella bacteria do not become ill, the CDC also reports.
Eastview Middle School students were being transported to Bartlett High until parents could pick them up. “According to the OSHA website, a thousand or more parts per million was cause for taking urgent action”. Emergency operations will be at the school district’s plant operations facility off of Shales Parkway, according to Sanders.
He said Larkin students will be dismissed to go home if they walk, or will wait outside until buses arrive. Yolanda Williams said she got a voicemail from the school. Because I believe in education.
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The inhaled bacteria can cause a pneumonia-type illness known as Legionnaires’ disease. It is not spread from person to person.
