UPMC blamed for another mold-related death

April 24--A lawsuit filed last week blamed the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for another mold-related death, bringing the total to seven.

The suit brought on behalf of Katherine Landman names UPMC Shadyside hospital, making Shadyside the third UPMC hospital to face such a suit, according to the Associated Press. Two of the lawsuits have been settled for payments of $1.35 million.

Landman, who had leukemia, died in October 2015 of an infection that entered her sinuses after she was hospitalized for a bone marrow transplant.

The lawsuit alleges linens were the source of the mold. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigated the first three mold-related deaths and concluded it was probable infections arose at the hospital if the patient was there for at least 14 days, according to the Associated Press.

Paris Cleaners, the DuBois firm which supplied the linens, said the facts don't support the conclusion the infections came from the linens.

The Associated Press reported that UPMC said in a statement its hospitals "are safe, and our ongoing monitoring and testing show no evidence concerning mold infections."

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