Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease kills 10, over 100 infected

The disease is mostly (90%) caused by the bacteria Legionella pneumophila, which has recently been discovered in the cooling towers of five buildings in the South Bronx area.

Government health officials are now assisting in the Legionnaires’ disease investigation in New York City.

Owners of cooling towers have 14 days to comply with the order, which comes as 100 people have been reported sick with the disease, according to city health department figures.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state will now offer free Legionella testing for all eligible buildings statewide. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 8,000 and 18,000 people in the USA are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease each year, but many infections aren’t diagnosed or reported, so the number may be higher.

Since July 10, the outbreak has been concentrated in the South Bronx neighborhood, which is one of the poorest in the United States.

“Chromalloy is committed first and foremost to the health and safety of our employees and a safe work environment, and the communities in which we operate” a statement from the company said. 10 have succumbed to the pneumonia-like disease-health officials say the majority of the victims were “elderly or already suffering from underlying medical problems”.

“Additionally, the New York City water supply does not pose a risk, so people should continue to feel confident in drinking tap water to stay cool during this period of hot weather”, she added.

De Blasio dismissed the criticism some have levied at his administration for being slow to initially react to the outbreak, and said the city was compiling a list of cooling towers citywide so it could respond more quickly to any future outbreak. This outbreak has also revealed the minimal knowledge that the general population and health authorities have of the cooling towers used in air conditioning that also double up as the major incubators for the bacteria causing this disease.

A University Hospitals spokesperson said the 53-year-old woman died Thursday morning after being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches.

New York had not previously attempted to list all of the estimated 2,500 cooling towers within its five boroughs.

The State Health Department plans to test all 161 buildings in the Bronx by the end of the weekend for the bacteria.