South Bronx, NY — A second person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease cluster that has sickened at least 14 people, as New York City health officials continue efforts to stop further exposure in the area.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin announced the death Thursday, saying he was saddened to report another loss connected to the outbreak.
“We mourn the loss of each New Yorker, and our hearts are with their loved ones as they navigate this difficult time,” Martin said.
According to city health data, 14 people have been sickened in the South Bronx cluster, with 11 requiring hospitalization. As of Thursday night, one person remained hospitalized while nine others had been discharged.
The cluster is centered in parts of the Melrose and Morrisania neighborhoods, including ZIP codes 10451 and 10456.
Legionella found in 10 cooling towers
The latest outbreak came into sharper focus last week when preliminary testing detected Legionella bacteria in 10 cooling towers in the South Bronx.
The affected locations included cooling towers at Yankee Stadium and NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, according to officials.
Investigators ordered the impacted cooling towers to be drained, cleaned and disinfected as part of the city’s response. Martin said Thursday that all cooling towers that tested positive through initial screening have been disinfected.
The Health Department has also been conducting outreach in the affected communities. Officials said staff have spoken with more than 1,700 community members, distributed more than 4,000 pamphlets and contacted more than 140 organizations over the past week.
The effort is aimed at helping residents understand the warning signs of the illness and identify possible risk factors.
Officials urge residents to watch for symptoms
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria. According to the CDC, people most commonly become infected by breathing in small droplets or mist containing the bacteria.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, muscle aches, headache and shortness of breath, with some patients also experiencing nausea, diarrhea or confusion. The CDC says hospitalization is common and the disease has an approximate 10% case-fatality rate.
City health officials are urging people who develop flu-like symptoms after visiting the affected 10451 or 10456 ZIP codes to seek medical attention promptly.
The disease generally does not spread from person to person. Instead, exposure typically occurs when someone inhales contaminated water droplets from a source where Legionella has grown. Cooling towers are among the human-made water systems that can allow the bacteria to spread.
South Bronx outbreak follows deadly Manhattan cluster
The South Bronx cluster comes after another serious Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side earlier this summer.
That outbreak sickened 94 people and killed 11, according to the information provided by city health officials and reported in the latest coverage of the South Bronx cluster.
The back-to-back outbreaks have placed renewed attention on the role of building cooling systems and the need for rapid detection when Legionella is found.
For the South Bronx, officials say the immediate response has focused on disinfecting affected cooling towers, investigating the cases and reaching residents who may have been exposed.
While the positive cooling towers identified through initial screening have now been disinfected, health officials continue to monitor the situation and encourage residents to take respiratory symptoms seriously.
Have you or someone you know been affected by the South Bronx Legionnaires’ disease cluster? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments.
