According to the city’s health department, 58 people in New York City have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease, a serious bacterial pulmonary infection, and two have died.
Bacteria, Legionnaira, is suspected to be spreading by cooling the towers of the central harem building. A cooling tower is a rooftop device that releases mist into the air when a large building is cooled. If the water inside is too warm, stagnant or not properly sanitized, Legionnaires can raise people who inhale the fog and make them sick. Illness cannot spread from person to person.
The city’s health department first announced the cluster on July 25th. The city said it will test all cooling towers in the area, and as of Monday, repairs have been completed on 11, where there is the first positive screening for Legionella pneumoniae.
“Everyone with these ZIP codes who have flu-like symptoms should contact their healthcare provider as soon as possible,” Dr. Michelle Morse said in a news release Monday.
Legionaire’s illnesses cause flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, headache, muscle pain, and shortness of breath. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotics can be treated but can be treated without treatment, but if left untreated, it can cause shock and multi-organ failure. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 10% of people who die from complications of the disease are more dangerous to older people and those with weak immune systems.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, around 6,000 cases of Legionnair disease are reported in the United States each year, but the total is reported to be lower than the actual cases as it is difficult to distinguish Legionnair disease from other types of pneumonia.
