Numerous guests have initiated legal action against a spa in the Toronto area, claiming they faced health issues after visiting the facility where staph bacteria was detected in a saltwater pool.
A total of 72 individuals are part of the civil lawsuit, seeking $5 million in damages from Thermea Spa Village, located in Whitby, Ont.
The claimants assert they’ve experienced negative health effects such as severe skin rashes, ear infections, and even hearing loss after using the spa’s pools.
A statement of claim was filed at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and delivered to the spa on Wednesday.
Read more: Dozens of guests seek damages from Toronto-area spa after experiencing infections
“After the defendants opened Thermea Spa, patrons began to suffer immediate adverse health reactions, injuries upon the use of the facilities and immediately reported these issues to the defendants,” states the claim.
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“During their visits, the plaintiffs were exposed to harmful contaminants that were present in one or more pools at Thermea Spa. These contaminants included, but were not limited to, pseudomonas and staphylococcus bacteria.”
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The lawsuit identifies 11 parties including the spa itself, two managers, and its operating corporation, along with officials from Regional Municipality of Durham and unnamed inspectors and maintenance personnel.
Groupe Nordik operates the spa but didn’t immediately respond for comments; however, they mentioned earlier that they traced the issue back to malfunctioning UV lamps and disinfectant systems.
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Health inspection results posted on Durham Public Health’s website dated Oct. 14 indicated that Kalla Pool at Thermea Spa Village was ordered shut down. The report stated that it might pose a health risk since operators failed to keep it “free from every serious condition.”
Other public health inspection records highlighted problems with various facilities within the spa. A routine inspection conducted on Oct. 5 revealed that required bromine levels weren’t maintained in Kalla pool.
Groupe Nordik stated that all their equipment has been inspected thoroughly and all pools have been closed since Oct. 14.
“Over the last few days, we have gotten to know some of you who have shown symptoms of a staph infection. We are devastated to hear that this has been your experience at our village,” read a statement posted on social media on Oct. 20.
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“Please be assured that we took every step we could to ensure that the pool was fully inspected, approved and certified by public health authorities while also being regularly tested by experts.”
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