On Friday, the Virgin Islands Health Department issued an immediate Cease-and-Desist Order to Hotel on the Cay on St. Croix, requiring the facility to suspend all operations following the detection of Legionella bacteria in multiple water sources. The action comes amid confirmed cases of Legionnaire’s disease linked to the hotel’s water system.
“The health and safety of our residents and visitors are our top priority,” said Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion in a press release. “The Department of Health is working diligently to address this situation and prevent further cases. We urge anyone who has recently stayed at Hotel on the Cay and is experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention.”
Two recent guests of the hotel have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. One guest required hospitalization and intubation in an intensive care unit, while the other is recovering without hospitalization. Three additional suspected cases are under investigation, according to the press release.
Symptoms of Legionnaire’s disease include cough, shortness of breath, high fever, muscle aches, and headaches. These symptoms typically develop two to 10 days after exposure, and individuals at higher risk include older adults, smokers, and those with weakened immune systems, the press release stated.
Guests who stayed at Hotel on the Cay within the past two weeks are advised to monitor their health and report any symptoms to their healthcare provider. Testing for Legionnaire’s disease, which involves a simple urine sample, will be available at the St. Croix Clinical Laboratory, opening at 6 a.m. on Saturday, the release stated.
The Health Department has established a hotline at 340-725-5389 or 340-774-7477 ext. 5647 to provide information and answer questions from the public, it said.
“The Department of Health’s Epidemiology and Environmental Health divisions are conducting a comprehensive investigation to determine the source and extent of the contamination,” said Dr. Esther Ellis, Territorial Epidemiologist. “The hotel is required to conduct remediation efforts, and testing will follow to ensure the safety of the premises.”
When speaking to the Source on Friday evening, Ellis stated, “We don’t know how it got into the water, but it is usually associated with hotels with complex water systems or hotel hot tubs.”
The hotel will not be permitted to resume operations until remediation efforts are completed and the Health Department certifies the premises as safe. “The V.I. Department of Health has ordered Hotel on the Cay to remediate the hotel water systems and to allow the Department of Health to complete sampling once remediation is complete to show the absence of Legionella,” Encarnacion stated. “Hotel on the Cay will not be allowed to resume hotel operations until approved to do so by our Environmental Health Division.”
Updates on the investigation and the hotel’s reopening will be provided as they become available.
