Fifty-eight people in New York City have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, a serious bacterial lung infection, and two people have died, according to the city health department.
The bacteria, Legionella, is suspected to be spread by cooling towers on buildings in Central Harlem. A cooling tower is a rooftop device that releases mist into the air as it cools a large building. If the water inside becomes too warm, stagnant, or isn’t properly disinfected, Legionella can grow and sicken people who inhale the mist. The disease cannot be spread from person to person.
The city health department first announced the cluster on July 25. The city said it would test all the cooling towers in the area, and as of Monday, remediation was completed on 11 that had an initial positive screening for the Legionella pneumophila bacteria.
“Anyone in these zip codes with flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a news release on Monday.
Legionnaires’ disease causes flu-like symptoms, including cough, fever, headaches, muscles aches and shortness of breath. It’s treatable with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can cause shock and multi-organ failure, according to the World Health Organization. About 10% of people who get Legionnaires’ die from complications of their illness, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it’s more dangerous for older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Around 6,000 Legionnaires’ disease cases are reported each year in the United States, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but reported totals may be lower than the actual cases in part because it can be difficult to distinguish Legionnaires’ disease from other types of pneumonia.
