Home / Health / NY Legionnaires' Disease Claims Second Life
NY Legionnaires' Disease Claims Second Life
19 Jul
Summary
- A second person has died from Legionnaires' disease in New York City.
- The outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side has infected 72 people.
- Health officials believe the source of exposure has likely been eliminated.
A severe pneumonia outbreak, Legionnaires' disease, has claimed a second life in New York City. The New York City Health Department confirmed the latest fatality on Saturday. This brings the total number of infected individuals to 72, primarily affecting Manhattan's Upper East Side.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by bacteria found in warm, stagnant water. Cooling towers of air conditioning systems have been a focus for health officials. Property owners with contaminated towers have been instructed to disinfect them.
While the exact source of this particular outbreak remains unidentified, health officials noted a sustained decrease in new infections. This trend indicates that the source of the Legionella bacteria exposure has likely been eliminated.
Legionnaires' disease is treatable, but it carries a mortality rate of 10% due to potential complications, according to the CDC. This outbreak follows a similar incident in Harlem last year, which sickened over 100 people and resulted in seven deaths.
