Legionnaires' disease.Photo: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARYAn outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City’s Bronx borough has left one dead and 18 sick, eight of whom are currently hospitalized,the city’s health department saidWednesday.The cases are clustered in the Bronx’s Highbridge neighborhood, and officials have identified four water cooling towers in the area that were positive for Legionella pneumophila, thebacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease. They are working to disinfect them now.“We are saddened to hear about a death in a person who contracted Legionnaires',” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan in a press release. “Health Department staff are working to ensure that buildings in the cluster area are treated and conditions remediated quickly.“Legionnaires' diseaseis a potentially deadlytype of pneumoniathat comes from the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria does not spread from person-to-person — rather, people contract Legionnaires from breathing in the bacteria, often from mist and the water dripping from air conditioning units.Signs of Legionnaires' disease include flu-like symptoms, cough, fever and difficulty breathing. The bacteria is easily treated with antibiotics if caught early, but if left too long it could become fatal.“While most people exposed to the bacteria do not get sick, Legionnaires' disease can cause severe illness or be fatal for those at higher risk, including people pre-existing chronic health issues,” Vasan said. “That’s why it’s crucial that you seek health care as soon as you experience flu-like symptoms.“RELATED VIDEO: 13-Year-Old Michigan Boy Dies After Sinus Infection Spreads to His BrainThere are around 200 to 700 cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in New York City each year,The New York Timesreported, but clusters like this one are more infrequent. The last was in 2018, when an outbreak in Upper Manhattan sickened 18 and left one dead. The city’s largest outbreak occurred in 2015, when 138 people in the Bronx developed the disease and 16 died.A water cooling tower that was linked to the 2015 Legionnaires' disease outbreak.Andrew Burton/GettyThe city’s health department said Wednesday that anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms or other signs of Legionnaires' should contact their physician “immediately.”
Legionnaires' disease.Photo: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City’s Bronx borough has left one dead and 18 sick, eight of whom are currently hospitalized,the city’s health department saidWednesday.The cases are clustered in the Bronx’s Highbridge neighborhood, and officials have identified four water cooling towers in the area that were positive for Legionella pneumophila, thebacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease. They are working to disinfect them now.“We are saddened to hear about a death in a person who contracted Legionnaires',” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan in a press release. “Health Department staff are working to ensure that buildings in the cluster area are treated and conditions remediated quickly.“Legionnaires' diseaseis a potentially deadlytype of pneumoniathat comes from the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria does not spread from person-to-person — rather, people contract Legionnaires from breathing in the bacteria, often from mist and the water dripping from air conditioning units.Signs of Legionnaires' disease include flu-like symptoms, cough, fever and difficulty breathing. The bacteria is easily treated with antibiotics if caught early, but if left too long it could become fatal.“While most people exposed to the bacteria do not get sick, Legionnaires' disease can cause severe illness or be fatal for those at higher risk, including people pre-existing chronic health issues,” Vasan said. “That’s why it’s crucial that you seek health care as soon as you experience flu-like symptoms.“RELATED VIDEO: 13-Year-Old Michigan Boy Dies After Sinus Infection Spreads to His BrainThere are around 200 to 700 cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in New York City each year,The New York Timesreported, but clusters like this one are more infrequent. The last was in 2018, when an outbreak in Upper Manhattan sickened 18 and left one dead. The city’s largest outbreak occurred in 2015, when 138 people in the Bronx developed the disease and 16 died.A water cooling tower that was linked to the 2015 Legionnaires' disease outbreak.Andrew Burton/GettyThe city’s health department said Wednesday that anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms or other signs of Legionnaires' should contact their physician “immediately.”
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York City’s Bronx borough has left one dead and 18 sick, eight of whom are currently hospitalized,the city’s health department saidWednesday.
The cases are clustered in the Bronx’s Highbridge neighborhood, and officials have identified four water cooling towers in the area that were positive for Legionella pneumophila, thebacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease. They are working to disinfect them now.
“We are saddened to hear about a death in a person who contracted Legionnaires',” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan in a press release. “Health Department staff are working to ensure that buildings in the cluster area are treated and conditions remediated quickly.”
Legionnaires' diseaseis a potentially deadlytype of pneumoniathat comes from the Legionella bacteria. The bacteria does not spread from person-to-person — rather, people contract Legionnaires from breathing in the bacteria, often from mist and the water dripping from air conditioning units.
Signs of Legionnaires' disease include flu-like symptoms, cough, fever and difficulty breathing. The bacteria is easily treated with antibiotics if caught early, but if left too long it could become fatal.
“While most people exposed to the bacteria do not get sick, Legionnaires' disease can cause severe illness or be fatal for those at higher risk, including people pre-existing chronic health issues,” Vasan said. “That’s why it’s crucial that you seek health care as soon as you experience flu-like symptoms.”
RELATED VIDEO: 13-Year-Old Michigan Boy Dies After Sinus Infection Spreads to His Brain
There are around 200 to 700 cases of Legionnaires' disease reported in New York City each year,The New York Timesreported, but clusters like this one are more infrequent. The last was in 2018, when an outbreak in Upper Manhattan sickened 18 and left one dead. The city’s largest outbreak occurred in 2015, when 138 people in the Bronx developed the disease and 16 died.
A water cooling tower that was linked to the 2015 Legionnaires' disease outbreak.Andrew Burton/Getty
The city’s health department said Wednesday that anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms or other signs of Legionnaires' should contact their physician “immediately.”
source: people.com
