Officials at the Vermont Veterans Home will begin replacing insulation and cleaning air ducts today after high levels of mold were found in air samples taken throughout the facility.
The outbreak was most concentrated in the homes dementia wing, where residents had to be evacuated following a mold inspection, according to the Bennington Banner.
Administrator Melissa Jackson told the source that the mold had even affected documents in storage at the home, permanently damaging many records being kept on file.
The inspections took place after the dementia wing was thoroughly cleaned and a "musty" smell was still present throughout the common area. On Friday, inspectors found high levels of the fungus c.cladosporioides as well as aspergillus-penicillium in the air ducts.
Jackson told the source that the fungi are similar to the kind that develop on tile grout and uncleaned refrigeration units. Though the molds do not cause serious health issues for those exposed, they do cause some respiratory problems for those with asthma or allergies if there is a high presence of the fungi in the air.
Twenty two residents who inhabited the dementia wing were relocated on Friday to a different wing of the hospital. Officials told the source that everyone affected by the outbreak has been cooperative and understanding so far in the remediation process.
For homeowners who have noticed a "musty" smell in their house, a home inspection may reveal an unsettling outbreak not unlike the one found in the Vermont Veterans Home. Conducting a mold inspection is the best way for residents to be safe and detect an outbreak in the home before it results in health hazards for their families.