WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today in a phone call with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) received an update on the death of a veteran who contracted Legionnaires’ disease this month at Illinois Veterans’ Home (IVH) Manteno and the Pritzker Administration’s prompt response efforts. Durbin offered federal support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help protect the veterans, residents, and staff at IVH Manteno.
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“I thanked Governor Pritzker for his proactive and transparent response to the single case of Legionnaires’ disease at IVH Manteno, first identified on January 8,” Durbin said. “I also offered federal assistance to the Governor for anything he needs to ensure the health and safety of all residents and staff at the home. After the former Governor struggled with this same issue for too long in Quincy, I’m glad that Governor Pritzker knows that we cannot take this lightly.”
Durbin worked to hold former Governor Bruce Rauner’s Administration accountable for its slow response to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at IVH Quincy, which resulted in the deaths of 14 people between 2015-2018. Durbin last visited IVH Quincy in April, and the VA also conducted a consultation visit to IVH Quincy at Durbin’s request in August with Legionnaires’ experts. In November 2018, Durbin called on Illinois Public Health Director Nirav Shah to resign given reports that the Rauner Administration and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) botched a water-system repair at IVH Quincy.
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