Legionnaires’ Outbreak in South Bronx Claims 8 Lives
Since an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City began, 92 people have been hospitalized with the disease, and 8 people are now confirmed to have died from this severe form of bacterial pneumonia. So far, 48 people who were hospitalized have been treated and released.
Instances of Legionnaires’ disease were first reported July 10 and New York City health officials traced the source of the outbreak to the South Bronx, where 5 cooling towers tested positive for the legionella bacteria.
“This week, new legislation will be announced designed to halt future outbreaks of Legionnaires’, and place new emphasis on long-term prevention,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “The comprehensive package will address inspections, new recommended action in the case of positive tests, and sanctions for those who fail to comply with new standards.”
Symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, chills, and muscle aches. As such, it is not uncommon for Legionnaires to be misdiagnosed as other types of pneumonia that include these symptoms. Symptoms typically appear 2 to 10 days after exposure to the legionella bacteria. The disease is not spread from person to person. Instead, people can only get sick by breathing in water vapor with the bacteria.
The outbreak in New York is the largest in the city’s history, and a higher proportion of them have died than is typical, according to Washington Post. This is why city health officials are urging all New Yorkers with symptoms to seek medical help.
“We are concerned about this unusual increase in Legionnaires’ disease cases in the South Bronx,” Health Commissioner Mary Bassett, MD, MPH, said in a statement. “I urge anyone with symptoms to seek medical attention right away.”
Individuals who are middle-aged or older, cigarette smokers, people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems, and people who take medicines that weaken their immune system are all at higher risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease.
The disease is treated with antibiotics and most people get better with early treatment.