Fourth person dies from Legionnaires’ disease in New York
Legionnaires’ disease has claimed the life of a fourth person, New York City health officials said Saturday. A third fatality had been reported only the day before.
The New York Department of Health said there had been 65 cases of Legionnaires’ disease since July 10. Fifty-five people have been hospitalized, with 20 treated and discharged.
Legionnaires’ disease, a common strain of pneumonia, is caused by a bacteria called Legionella, which grows best in warm water commonly found in plumbing systems including hot tubs, water tanks, cooling towers and large air-conditioning systems.
Earlier this week, New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett told New Yorkers not to panic, but urged caution.
“I want to reiterate that most New Yorkers are not at risk of contracting Legionnaire’s disease,” she said. “It is not communicable from person to person.”
While she said that the city usually sees two or three clusters of Legionnaires’ disease a year, she said those at risk, including people who are older and have underlying diseases, should see a doctor.
“Usually we see more Legionella in the summer and the fall, and one of the reasons is the mist from the cooling towers is more likely to be expelled during these hot months and the water temperature is more likely to be conducive to the growth of bacteria during hot months,” the commissioner said.
Five buildings with cooling towers in the South Bronx, including the Opera House Hotel and a Verizon office building, have tested positive for the bacteria. Four of the five sites have undergone a decontamination process.
“All sites will submit long-term plans as to how they will maintain the cooling towers to protect against any future growth of legionella,” a statement from the New York Department of Health said on Saturday.
New York’s drinking water supply and other water features, including fountains and pools, have been deemed safe.
But Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said that it has become clear there is no program to inspect possible breeding grounds for the disease. He urged the city to create a system, just as the city inspects elevators and other systems.
During the outbreak, it had “been revealed that there is no inspection mechanism for coolant systems, rooftop water tanks and other standing water infrastructure,” Diaz said in a statement Friday.
Most of the cases are in the South Bronx neighborhoods of High Bridge, Morrisania, Hunts Point and Mott Haven.
According to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incidence of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City increased 230% from 2002 to 2009, with the largest number of cases occurring in the poorest areas. In 2009 and 2011, incidence rates in New York were higher than in the U.S.
Approximately 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease in the United States each year, according to the CDC.
Twitter: @natalieschachar
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