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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Fourth Quincy Legionnaires' Case In Week Confirmed; Rauner Response Under Fire

NPR Illinois

Illinois officials have confirmed a fourth case of Legionnaires' disease at the Quincy veterans home in a week.

The Departments of Public Health and Veterans' Affairs announced late Tuesday that a resident has been diagnosed with the pneumonia-like malady.

It's the fourth case announced by state officials since Feb. 13. The illness caused by Legionella bacteria inhaled from water vapor first appeared in 2015 and has returned each year since.

It has led to the deaths of 13 residents at the 130-year-old home and had put Gov. Bruce Rauner under intense scrutiny about his response to the problem. 

Earlier, Senate Democrats blasted Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration for failing to appear to answer questions about a report showing a possible fix for a veterans' home beset by Legionnaires' disease would cost far less than what officials have repeatedly said.

Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Cullerton called the hearing for Tuesday after the Associated Press obtained the report last week. He says the administration told him officials couldn't attend on such short notice.

The AP reported the August 2016 engineering estimate shows replacing plumbing that likely harbors the deadly Legionella virus at the Quincy home would cost $8 million. Officials told lawmakers it would be at least $25 million.

Democrats said there's no reason the administration can't answer questions about a report they've had 18 months. Republicans say they want answers but understood the timing problems.

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