ALBERT LEA, MINN. (KTTC) – An Alden woman lies in hospital after contracting a rare disease at a hotel spa in Albert Lea.
On Friday, The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said it is investigating cases of Legionaries‘Disease at the Ramada by Wyndham Hotel.
MDH said there are two confirmed cases related to the hotel.
Albert Lea’s Lexy Munkberg posted on social media that her mother, Lori Haler, was diagnosed with the disease.
“You stayed in a hotel. The Ramada. Down in Albert Lea, from the 27th to the 29th and after that stay she got sick,” she said.
She said Lori and her boyfriend stayed at the hotel and got into the hot tub. Within days, Lori developed symptoms.
“She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t physically get out of bed without my help and could pick her up and run behind her to hold her up,” said Lilly Haler, Lori’s daughter.
She said the symptoms had gotten worse.
“She had difficulty breathing. And she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She couldn’t and I was scared, “Lily said.
This disease is a type of pneumonia that was first discovered in 1976 after an outbreak in Philadelphia infected more than a hundred people.
Lori’s friend James Muller also had symptoms. He died last week, but the Munkberg said the family is awaiting the results of the autopsy to find out the cause of his death.
“We tell her to be strong and brave. She doesn’t really have to hear it because she already is,” said Munkberg.
“Legionnaires’ disease is caused by bacteria. The bacteria live in water. All kinds of water. But especially when bacteria that multiply in the mand create warm and stagnant water sources,” said Richard Danila of the Minnesota Department of Health.
Like hot tubs, spas, and cooling towers.
“If the water is atomized deep into the lungs when you breathe in. You can become infected with the bacteria and develop this very serious respiratory disease. Typically this leads to pneumonia and most people in the hospital. About a third of them end up on a ventilator it can be pretty serious and about 10 percent die, “said Danila.
He said there had been cases of the disease related to the hotel in the past.
“In the past four years, I think we’ve had four more cases,” said Danila.
He said MDH has made other states aware of the problem in case foreign hotel guests fall ill. People who have stayed at the hotel have also been notified.
“It’s an older spa. It’s a smaller one,” said Danila. “The environmental health medics inspected it, really don’t think it can be made safe again. We recommend removing it completely.”
Anyone who stays at the hotel and gets sick should have themselves checked for the disease.
