A second person has died of Legionnaires’ Disease as an outbreak of the severe form of pneumonia continues to spread through the South Bronx, officials said Thursday.
“I am saddened to share that a second person has died in connection with the South Bronx Legionnaires’ cluster,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. “We mourn the loss of each New Yorker, and our hearts are with their loved ones as they navigate this difficult time.”
At least 13 people in the Bronx have tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease, of whom two are currently hospitalized and nine have been discharged following treatment, according to officials.
Dr. Martin announced the first fatality resulting from the Bronx cluster of the disease, which is centered around Melrose and Morrisania, on Sept. 10.
Initial PCR testing in the area identified traces of Legionella bacteria in 10 cooling towers, including at Yankee Stadium, Lincoln Hospital and Boricua College. Martin on Thursday said that all affected cooling towers have been disinfected.
Health Department staff are canvassing the neighborhood to spread awareness of the disease, Martin said.
The Bronx cluster follows an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side that claimed 11 lives and infected 94 people over the summer.
A screening of 160 buildings on the Upper East Side found Legionella bacteria, the microbe responsible for spreading the disease, in at least 77 cooling towers, including at the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Most people exposed to the bacteria don’t become sick. The disease is contracted by breathing in water vapor, not spread from person to person, officials said.
Symptoms typically develop between two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, chills, muscle aches, shortness of breath and coughing. According to DOH, “It remains safe to shower, drink tap water and use air conditioners in the affected zip codes.”
The disease is fatal in about 10% of cases and is most dangerous for those above age 50 or with compromised immune systems or chronic lung diseases.