Contra Costa Health officials confirmed the since-closed Zen Day Spa in Richmond was the source of the Legionnaire’s disease that killed two people earlier this month.
The health agency also said it has declared the spa a public nuisance and ordered the owners to professionally clean the space and dispose of the hot tub where the infections likely occurred within 30 days.
Laboratory tests of water and swab samples collected from the spa contained high levels of legionella bacteria, health officials said.
The department began its investigation of the spa, at 12230 San Pablo Ave., on Aug. 4, after area hospitals reported two deaths from Legionnaires’ disease. Both people visited the business before becoming ill.
The business voluntarily closed the next day. The health department said it has contacted more than 30 of the spa’s recent customers, as well as people in the area recently coming down with Legionnaires’ disease, reported through community healthcare providers.
Two other people who visited the business were confirmed to have had Legionnaires’ disease.
The business may not reopen until re-inspected by the health department, which said the spa didn’t have the required permit to operate, nor was it ever inspected by the department.
“Most public pools and spas have to have both disinfection and recirculation equipment,” said Kristian Lucas, Contra Costa Health’s assistant director of environmental health programs, during a press briefing Monday. “It was a residential unit and it didn’t have some of the systems like a disinfection system.”
Legionnaires’ disease can cause serious pneumonia, according to the health department. While legionella bacteria naturally live in fresh water, health concerns can arise in hot tubs and pools where the bacteria can grow if the water is not maintained properly
People can become infected after breathing mist containing the bacteria. The disease does not spread from person to person.
“Proper maintenance of hot tubs and pools is becoming increasingly important, both for businesses and private citizens who own tubs, as we continue to experience climate change,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County health officer, in a statement.
“Higher temperatures make growth of legionella and bacteria more likely, and more prolific, in water that is not properly treated.”
Lucas said Contra Costa Health will recover the costs associated with its abatement effort from the spa owners and refer the case to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution.
I guess the old Pleasant Hill hot tubs back in the 70s weren’t so bad after all.
Public hot tubs are a bad thing. They are a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria.
@ROBERT TAYLOR…..We used to call the hot tubs in PH the giant petri dishes.
it’s like a big-o-pot of Sweat Soup
“C” YUCK
Apparently the spa was using a “residential” or domestic hot tub that you can pick up at Home Depot, Costco, Lowe’s, or whatever.
They were supposed to be using a commercial grade tub. The main differences are the commercial units have higher water turnover to local health department standards using larger pumps and larger pipes, an automated chemical treatment system that also generates a log that documents when and by how much treatment was added, steps plus handrails to make it safer to enter and exit the tub, and a water displacement system. Each adult displaces about 15 gallons of water. If ten people get into a tub then it needs to store 150 gallons of displaced water off to the side and return 15 gallons at a time as people exit the tub. There are also chemical storage requirements, ozone treatment systems, etc. The list goes on and on.
FWIW, if you have an Airbnb with a hot tub then you likely fall into commercial use regulations.
Another thing to blame on climate change? You gotta be kidding me!
Hey WC, are you sure about 15 gallons put off by every person? I’m not disagreeing with You because I really don’t know it just seems like an awful lot.
….at least the source was found (wow)