Five deaths, 108 108 confirmed cases of Legionnaire’s disease in New York City
Health officials say Legionnair’s disease is likely spreading from the cooling towers of a Central Harlem building last month.
News 12
New York City health officials are investigating a community cluster of illnesses in Legionnair in Central Harlem as outbreak cases reached 113, the city’s health department said.
The New York City Health Department said it is investigating community clusters of Legionnaires across five postal codes in Central Harlem. Since the outbreak began on July 25th, the city’s health department has reported 113 cases of illnesses in the vicinity. As of August 26th, seven people diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease have been hospitalized.
Meanwhile, the New York City Health Department was assessing Parkchester Mansion in the East Bronx after four people were diagnosed with Legionnair’s illness last year, Gothamist and the News12 Bronx reported. The department said the cluster was concentrated in two buildings, according to Gossa Mist.
A city health department notification, published on August 22nd in the condo complex obtained by the News12 Bronx, said that within the last 12 months, two residents were reported to have been ill from the Legionnaires disease. The department told Gossa Mist that it began an investigation at the Parkchester South Mansion after residents tested positive within two months.
According to Gothamist, assessments began at the Parkchester North Mansion in June after two other cases were reported within 10 months. The city’s health department reports that the Bronx cluster is linked to the growth of Legionella bacteria in the building’s hot water systems and not the outbreak of Central Harlem, News12 Bronx and NBC New York.
City health officials noted that the incident was more self-contained compared to the Central Harlem outbreak, tied to a cooling tower. The city’s health department did not respond to a request for comment on USA Today on August 26th.
Ben Crump: “Fully preventable” Legionnaire’s disease outbreak
On August 21, the city’s health department discovered the sixth death related to the Central Harlem outbreak. Dr. Michelle Morse, a deputy committee member of the city’s health department, said in a statement on X that the person had passed away by mid-August.
Just days before the sixth death was confirmed, the city’s health department reported that the fifth death was associated with the Central Harem cluster. The incident also involved people who had died by mid-August.
“Epidemiological evidence continues to show that repair efforts are effective,” Morse said in a statement, reiterating that the outbreak investigation is ongoing and that the risk for most people in Central Harlem is low.
The city’s health department previously said 12 nearby cooling towers had tested positive for Legionella bacteria. All tower restoration efforts have since been completed.
Health officials point out that the outbreak has nothing to do with the building’s hot or cold water supply, and the plumbing system is separate from the cooling tower system. People will need to continue using air conditioners, including window units and other appliances that use water, according to the city’s health department.
On August 20, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced that he had filed a lawsuit against two construction companies over what he called a “completely preventable” outbreak of Legionnair’s disease in central Harlem. Crump blamed the construction company and the city of negligence, saying the company cut the corner.
What is Legionnaire’s disease?
Legionaire’s disease is severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms that can occur up to 14 days after exposure include cough, fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and shortness of breath.
According to the CDC, it is caused by consumption of water and breathing of water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria. The disease can be caused by plumbing systems that favor bacterial growth, such as cooling towers, vortex spas, hot tubs, humidifiers, hot water tanks, and evaporation capacitors in large air conditioning systems.
Considered a rare disease, the American Lung Association said Legionnair’s illness is a growing health concern. This has steadily become common throughout the nation over the last few decades, and studies have shown that hotter, humid temperatures have contributed to an increase in cases, according to the CDC.
The Legionnaires disease cannot spread from person to person and can be treated with antibiotics, the CDC said. Most healthy people who are infected usually get better, but 1 in 10 people who get sick due to complications die.
According to the CDC, the best way to prevent disease in Legiona is to clean water-based pipes and devices. And health officials are urging people at higher risk, including those over the age of 50, cigarette smokers, chronic lung disease or with compromised immune systems, to immediately seek medical care if they have symptoms.
Contributions: Eduardo Cuevas, and N’Dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today
