Latest news with #IllinoisDepartmentofPublicHealth
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago-area nursing homes fined for ‘severe' violations that led to patient deaths, Illinois health department says
The Illinois Department of Public Health has doled out tens of thousands of dollars in fines to dozens of nursing homes throughout the Chicago area, including a handful where 'severe' violations led to residents' deaths, the agency announced this week. One of the heftiest fines, at $50,000, was given to Cicero's City View Multicare Center. IDPH found that the facility didn't properly supervise a cognitively impaired resident's eating, saying the 60-year-old man choked and died as a result. The resident was admitted to the facility in August 2023 with terminal illness under hospice services, the report stated. The man had diagnoses of dementia, diabetes and bipolar schizophrenia, and required supervision when eating. His name isn't included in the report. Staff told emergency responders on Oct. 12, 2024, that the man — who was on a pureed diet — grabbed a turkey sandwich and began choking. Nurses said the resident clutched his throat and looked like he was 'trying really hard to cough,' the report said. When the nurse opened his mouth it was full of saliva. Although staff and paramedics attempted the Heimlich maneuver, the man died that night around 7:48 p.m. at the hospital of 'hypoxic cardiopulmonary arrest,' the report said. A spokesperson for Cicero confirmed that the police department responded to MacNeal Hospital after being notified of the resident's death. The Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the death an accident. Statewide, the agency handed out nearly 250 fines in the first quarter of 2025, including four 'AA' violations of the Nursing Home Care Act. Most of the incidents included in the quarterly report took place in late 2024 and early this year. The state's long-term-care facilities serve more than 100,000 residents. Ron Nunziato is the senior director of policy and regulatory affairs for the industry trade group Health Care Council of Illinois, which represents nursing homes in the state. He said the state survey process is meant to highlight areas for improvement among facilities, which are 'being held to increasingly high standards.' He said facilities often appeal the violations for factual inaccuracies. Individual operators referred questions to the HCCI to comment on the state public health department's findings. 'We take all violations seriously and work closely with our members to make sure any issues are addressed quickly and thoroughly,' Nunziato said. 'We remain committed to advocating for a strong and well-supported long-term-care system in Illinois, one that prioritizes resident safety, quality of life and workforce stability.' Bria of Palos Hills in the southwest suburbs also received $52,000 in fines for two violations. For the most serious, IDPH found that the facility failed to prevent unintended removals of ventilators and tracheostomy tubes, which help patients breathe, and failed to properly intervene for low blood sugar, ultimately leading to a patient's death. The report stated that staff found that a resident — who had been seen 'fidgeting' with medical equipment — had removed a tracheostomy tube early in the morning last October. The report said the resident didn't have a pulse due to lack of breathing support. The report didn't state the resident's age or gender, but said they had 'severe cognitive impairment' and was unable to follow commands, When a respiratory therapist noticed that the resident didn't have a pulse, both nurses were on break and not in the unit, the report said. The therapist said it took about two minutes to leave the room and call 'code blue' over the overhead speaker. The therapist and a nurse from the next unit over performed CPR until paramedics arrived, the report said. 'The nurse assigned to (the resident) was outside the facility on break and did not return until after paramedics transferred (the resident) out of the facility,' the report said. The resident was resuscitated by paramedics and admitted to the intensive care unit, the report said. However, about three weeks later when the resident was back at the facility, the fire department found the resident dead in their bed. Nurses reported that the resident was found to have low blood sugar earlier during rounds, and that 911 wasn't called quickly enough, the report said. Sam Brooks, the director of public policy at the advocacy group National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, called the report troubling but not particularly surprising, citing low staffing nationwide as the main issue. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Illinois 47th out of 50 states for nursing home quality, based on federal reports of health inspections, staffing and other quality measures. 'Inadequate staffing results in corners being cut, care not being provided, folks falling or developing pressure ulcers or not getting their medication, and that's often and the most likely underlying cause,' Brooks said. 'I really can't understate the impact staffing has.' In Brooks' experience, nursing home operators often view fines as the 'cost of doing business.' It's more costly to properly staff a facility than to pay a fine. Illinois nursing homes that consistently perform poorly can be placed in a Special Focus Facility program designed to improve care, an IDPH spokesperson said. Facilities in the federal program are subject to more inspections, escalating penalties and potential termination from Medicare and Medicaid. 'Every day, residents are dying and languishing from poor care and neglect and inadequate staffing, and it affects families,' he said. 'It devastates families and devastates residents. Until we focus on providing better care, we're just not going to get there.'
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Lake County reports first case of West Nile virus
Lake County has reported its first human case of the year of neuroinvasive West Nile virus, with a resident in their 70s becoming ill earlier this month. An update on the victim's condition was not released. This is the second case of the virus in Illinois reported this year. Last year saw 69 cases across the state, including six in Lake County, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center Executive Director Chris Hoff advised caution for residents spending more time outdoors during the summer, exposing themselves to mosquitoes, which can carry the virus. 'Remember to take steps to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes to reduce your risk of getting West Nile virus,' Hoff said. According to a county release, nine of 214 batches of mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus in 2025. West Nile virus typically peaks during the late summer, usually from July through September when the mosquito population is at its peak, the release said. The department gave '4 Ds of Defense' for protecting against mosquitoes — drain, defend, dawn to dusk and dress. These include draining any standing water, using EPA-approved insect repellents, using proper protection during prime mosquito activity hours and wearing clothes that cover exposed skin. According to the release, most people infected with West Nile virus have no symptoms, but some become ill three to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches. In rare cases, the virus can affect the brain or spinal cord, leading to 'serious neurological symptoms' such as stiff neck, confusion, sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, trouble walking or even death. Those over 60 and individuals with weakened immune systems or multiple medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from West Nile virus.
Chicago Tribune
09-07-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
The US is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades
The U.S. is having its worst year for measles spread in more than three decades, with a total of 1,288 cases nationally and another six months to go in 2025. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the national case count surpassed 2019, when there were 1,274 cases for the year and the country almost lost its status of having eliminated the vaccine-preventable illness. That could happen this year if the virus has nonstop spread for 12 months The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported 10 measles cases in the state so far this year. There were 67 cases last year. This year's outbreaks, some of them interconnected, started five months ago in undervaccinated communities in West Texas. Three people have died — two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico — and dozens of people have been hospitalized. Public health experts maintain the true case count may be higher than state health departments have confirmed. North America has three other major measles outbreaks, with 2,966 cases in Chihuahua state, Mexico, 2,223 cases in Ontario, Canada and 1,230 in Alberta, Canada. Twelve other states have current confirmed outbreaks of three or more people — Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah — and four other states saw their outbreaks end. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses. The World Health Organization said in 2000 that measles had been eliminated from the U.S. The CDC identified 22 outbreaks in 2019, the largest being two separate clusters in New York — 412 in New York state and 702 in New York City. These were linked because as measles was spreading through close-knit Orthodox Jewish communities, the CDC said. It's a similar situation in North America this year, where the Canada, Mexico and Texas outbreaks stem from large Mennonite communities in the regions. Mennonite churches do not formally discourage vaccination, though more conservative Mennonite communities historically have low vaccination rates and a distrust of government. A recent study found childhood vaccination rates against measles fell after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data, including in states that are battling outbreaks this year. Only 92.7% of kindergarteners in the U.S. had the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the 2023-2024 school year, below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks. In Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, only 82% of kindergarteners were up-to-date with MMR vaccines. State and federal leaders have for years kept funding stagnant for local public health departments' vaccination programs that are tasked with reversing the trend. 'What we're seeing with measles is a little bit of a 'canary in a coal mine,'' said Lauren Gardner, leader of Johns Hopkins University's independent measles and COVID tracking databases. 'It's indicative of a problem that we know exists with vaccination attitudes in this county and just, I think, likely to get worse.'
Chicago Tribune
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin's downtown splash pad the perfect cool-down place on hot 90-degree-plus days
Nothing says summer like jumping into a splash pad on a hot day. But when you're only 11 months old and it's your first time experiencing Elgin's Festival Park water attraction — or any splash pad, for that matter — the concept can be a bit intimidating. Such was the case for Armiz Rodriguez, who was initially reluctant to check it out even with his mother, Kimberly, holding his hands as they got inches away from the shooting water sprays. But sitting near the water and letting it fall on his head seemed to help him get over his fears. Armiz's siblings — 5-year-old twins Athena and Aquiles — had no such qualms as they ran through the bouncing fountains that Kimberly said she remembers playing in herself as a child. With temperatures expected to be in the low- to mid-90s over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, it's a sure bet the splash pad will be seeing plenty of action from kids and maybe a few adults wanting a brief reprieve. Heat indexes are going to make it feel like it's closer to 100, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Lenning. '(The holiday) will be a warm but not abnormally warm July day,' Lenning said. Fortunately, the humidity 'won't be quite as high as it could be this time of year.' With the hot temperatures, however, will come clear skies — perfect for the Fourth of July Parade at 11 a.m. in downtown Elgin followed later in the day by an outdoor gathering in Festival Park with food trucks, family activities, live music and a fireworks display at dusk. Forecasts are calling for a chance of storms Saturday night and Sunday, Lenning said. Although temperatures in the 90s are not unusual for early July, the normal high is about 84 degrees, according to the weather service. The hottest holiday on record in the Chicago area was 102 degrees in 2012. But it has been unusually hot so early in the summer season, with a heat advisory issued for three days in late June when temps exceeded the 90-degree mark. In fact, there were 10 days of temperatures over 90 degrees in June and the average average temperature in the Chicago area 3.6% above normal last month, Lenning said. 'People need to be careful about making sure they have a way to cool off and stay hydrated,' Lenning said of the next few days. 'This time of year, we don't want anyone to have heat-related illnesses.' Cooling off in water is one good option, the Illinois Department of Public Health advises. So is staying hydrated and cool and learning the signs of heatstroke, which include hot, dry skin; chills; confusion or dizziness; and slurred speech. Maria Rocha brought her 7-year-old daughter, also named Maria, to the splash pad Wednesday to make sure she stayed cool but couldn't resist going in herself. 'It's so fun,' Rocha said. 'The water feels great.' And it beat the heck out of what she had been planning to do that afternoon, she said. 'Ironing can wait,' Rocha said. The splash pad is open daily in the summer from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Chicago Tribune
03-07-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Willie Wilson: Chicagoans cannot wait 50 years for clean water
I was astonished to learn the city has submitted a request to extend its replacement of lead service lines — 30 years beyond the 20 years the federal government has proposed. The city plans to complete 8,300 replacements annually for 50 years, wrapping up in 2076. This pace defies common sense and is unconscionable. The city must move with a sense of urgency in replacing lead pipes. We know that structures built before 1986 have service lines that allow lead to leach into the drinking water. Chicago has over 400,000 lead service lines. The majority are located in Black and brown communities. Health experts agree there is no safe level of lead exposure. Exposure to lead can cause cognitive damage, developmental delays, difficulty learning and behavioral problems in children. Could this be a factor contributing to Black and brown children being overrepresented in special education classes and the prison system? Children's exposure to small amounts of lead-tainted water causes them to appear inattentive, hyperactive and irritable. Higher levels of lead exposure may cause children to have problems with learning and reading. Last year, a study published in JAMA Pediatrics estimated 68% of children younger than 6 years old in Chicago are exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water, with 19% of affected children using unfiltered tap water as their primary drinking water source. Elected leaders should be held accountable for lead in tap water. The failure to move with urgency in replacing lead service lines will place children and adults at greater risk of drinking lead-tainted water. The Chicago Housing Authority was ordered to pay $24 million in a lead paint poisoning case that affected two young children. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health in 2023, about 3,200 children tested positive for elevated blood lead levels. Preventing residents from consuming toxic water will reduce health costs and a potential public health crisis. Why would government leaders knowingly allow residents to be poisoned by contaminated water? This was the case in the city of Flint, Michigan, where the drinking water became contaminated with lead because of a change in the water source. WBEZ-FM 91.5 reports that the federal rule requires Chicago to replace nearly 20,000 lead pipes a year beginning in 2027 — more than double the speed of the city's current plan. Among the cities with the highest number of lead service lines, only Chicago has yet to adopt the federal deadline. Clean water is essential to life; without it, we cannot survive. The water we drink helps regulate body temperature, aids in digestion, carries nutrients to cells, flushes out waste, enhances our skin and much more. It is important that residents have confidence in water from the tap. A 2023 Gallup poll found 56% of Americans overall said they worry 'a great deal' about pollution of drinking water. However, that sentiment was expressed by 76% of Black adults and 70% of Hispanic adults, compared with less than half (48%) of white adults. The bottled water industry in 2016 surpassed soft drinks to become the most consumed beverage in the country. 'Bottled water in the U.S. has been found to be no safer than tap water on average, contains higher levels of microplastics, is less strictly regulated and consumers are much less likely to find out if contamination does occur,' a 2023 research paper published in WIREs Water noted. Moreover, distrust in the quality of public tap water is driving the growth of bottled water. The following are suggestions to ensure clean and safe drinking water for all residents: Elected leaders should consider children and the most vulnerable when urging a delay to remove lead service lines from homes. Long-term exposure to lead can contribute to an increased risk of kidney, testicular and potentially other cancers. Also, lead exposure can lead to high blood pressure and reproductive problems. Clean water is a universal human right. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly formally recognized the right to safe and clean drinking water as a right inextricably linked to the full enjoyment of life and all human rights. The U.N. statement should be shared with elected leaders in Illinois. We cannot wait another 50 years to remove all lead service lines in Chicago. Every day we delay, the potential grows for more children to be poisoned by lead from their drinking water. I write this commentary to make those comfortable with allowing residents to drink lead-tainted water uncomfortable.
