In New York City, a recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease has prompted health concerns, with 58 reported cases and two fatalities, as confirmed by the local health department. The infection, caused by the Legionella bacteria, is believed to have originated from cooling towers located in Central Harlem, which discharge mist into the air while regulating building temperatures.
These cooling towers can become breeding grounds for Legionella if the water within them is warm, stagnant, or improperly disinfected. Importantly, this disease cannot be transmitted from person to person. The city’s health officials first identified the outbreak on July 25 and have since initiated testing of all cooling towers in the affected area. Remediation efforts have been completed on 11 towers that initially tested positive for the bacteria.
Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse has advised residents experiencing flu-like symptoms in the impacted zip codes to seek medical attention promptly. Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease often resemble those of the flu, including coughing, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. If untreated, the illness can escalate to severe complications such as shock and multi-organ failure, with a mortality rate of around 10% for those infected, particularly among older individuals and those with weakened immune systems.
In the United States, approximately 6,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease are reported annually. However, actual numbers may be higher, as the disease can be challenging to differentiate from other forms of pneumonia. The World Health Organisation and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention stress the importance of timely intervention and proper management to mitigate the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease.