Legionnaires' disease identified at FCI Cumberland

Aug. 10—CUMBERLAND — A case of Legionnaires' disease at the Federal Correctional Institution in Cumberland was confirmed Wednesday.

Scott Taylor, Office of Public Affairs, Federal Bureau of Prisons, said the facility is taking necessary precautions to protect employees, "adults in custody" and the community from possibly being exposed to Legionella bacteria.

"A single case of Legionnaires' disease has been identified at (FCI Cumberland)," he said via email. "No deaths have occurred."

Taylor said for privacy, safety and security reasons, BOP does not provide information on conditions of confined people.

"FCI Cumberland has been in communication with officials from the local health department and the city of Cumberland Public Works' Utilities Division to investigate the source of this matter," he said.

Regarding daily operations at FCI Cumberland, all prisoners have access to potable water, Taylor said.

"The Federal Bureau of Prisons takes communicable diseases seriously," he said.

Infectious diseases are managed through a comprehensive approach that includes testing, treatment, prevention, education and infection control measures in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Taylor said.

"Employees and (adults in custody) have been notified about this situation and the employees at FCI Cumberland are prepared to take any additional steps if needed," he said.

Allegany County Health Department Public Information Coordinator Brenda Caldwell said that because FCI is a federal facility, state and local health departments do not have direct authority over a response to the situation.

"Local health departments in Maryland are always made aware of reportable diseases in people residing in the county," she said via email Wednesday afternoon. "ACHD has received a single report of a confirmed case of legionella, which is a reportable disease."

According to the CDC report, Legionnaires' disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.

"People can get sick when they breathe in small droplets of water or accidentally swallow water containing Legionella into the lungs," the organization's website states.

Health departments reported nearly 10,000 cases of Legionnaires' disease in the United States in 2018," it states.

"However, because Legionnaires' disease is likely under-diagnosed, this number may underestimate the true incidence," the organization stated and added that a recent study estimated the true number of Legionnaires' disease cases might be 1.8 to 2.7 times higher than what is reported.

"About one in 10 people who gets sick from Legionnaires' disease will die," the website states.

In general, people do not spread Legionnaires' disease to other people.

"However, this may be possible under rare circumstances," the website states.

According to the BOP's website, FCI Cumberland is a medium security federal correctional institution for male offenders that has 677 inmates, with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp that contains 224 inmates.

Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.