'I almost died,' Orillia man's road to recovery 'a nightmare' after contracting Legionella
The Legionnaires' outbreak in Orillia may be over, but one local man says his road to recovery after contracting the disease has been a "nightmare."
"I have a heart condition because of this. I don't know what my long-term health is."
Jo Brabant, 54, says he was the first of about 35 people in Orillia to fall ill with Legionnaires' disease since late September.
"I got really, really sick. I got pneumonia. I got sepsis. I almost died. I lost the ability to walk. I lost the ability to talk. I had to go on oxygen in the hospital. I had to go on dialysis," he says. "It was a really, really tough go."
The outbreak turned deadly, with one person in their 60s losing their life after becoming infected.
Soldiers' Memorial Hospital confirmed it cared for 27 patients with Legionella, with one person in the intensive care unit.
Throughout its investigation, the health unit determined one of the 35 cases of Legionella was linked to the Rotary Place water cooling tower, resulting in the facility's closure.
Brabant, a long-time Orillia resident, lives in the city's west end but says he never went into the Rotary Place building before being hospitalized for three weeks.
In an interview with CTV News on October 12, Dr. Colin Lee, associate medical officer of health, said water aerosols from cooling towers had been known "to infect someone as far as 10 kilometres away, although most are within three kilometres."
According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Legionella bacteria is commonly found in natural freshwater environments but can become a health concern in water systems, such as cooling towers.
"I haven't regained all my strength," Brabant says. "I'm probably am at 60 per cent strength," he says. "I have great fatigue and lots of pain and aches all the time. It doesn't go away."
The health unit notes that most people exposed to the bacteria don't become ill.
Meanwhile, Brabant is left searching for answers, hoping no one else goes through what he did.
"I don't know that I'm ever going to get better after going through this," he says.
While the City wouldn't provide further details on the outbreak, it said staff was preparing a report to present to council next Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.