Legionnaires' Disease Sickens 22 in New York. Here's What to Know.

New York Times

5 days ago

At least 22 people have fallen ill, including one person who has died, from Legionnaires' disease in New York City over the last two weeks, according to the city's health department.
City health officials believe that the people most likely became ill after breathing in bacteria sprayed from a cooling tower in central Harlem. The city health department said in a news release on Wednesday that it was testing the cooling towers in the area and continuing to investigate the outbreak.
Legionnaires' is a severe form of pneumonia that can cause a cough, shortness of breath and fever. The risk is low for most people, said Dr. Celia Quinn, the deputy commissioner of the division of infectious diseases at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, but people who live or work around the affected area should see a health care provider immediately if they develop flulike symptoms. There will most likely be additional cases linked to this cluster, Dr. Quinn added.
The city health department said that it was safe to continue drinking water, bathing, showering, cooking and using air-conditioning.
Around 6,000 cases of Legionnaires' are reported each year in the United States, but scientists think the disease is underdiagnosed because it can be hard to distinguish from other types of pneumonia or respiratory issues. And cases have been rising over the last two decades. There is no clear reason for the increase, but some researchers have pointed to aging water systems, inadequate maintenance of systems, rising water temperatures and greater awareness of the disease.
And cases tend to pop up during the summer months, as more buildings use cooling towers for air conditioning.
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