legionnaires disease outbreak opera house hotel

Legionnaires' disease is caused by a type of bacteria – Legionella – which is found naturally in the environment, but grows best in warm water like that found in cooling towers, hot water tanks and large plumbing systems. All towers have now been cleaned and are disease free, but health officers continue to work in the area.Ĭity officials have now begun a campaign to raise awareness of the disease, with Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz telling the Wall Street Journal: 'There has been misinformation out there.' He added: 'People have to realize this is not contagious and it's not in our drinking water.'

These were the Lincoln Medical Center, the Concourse Plaza shopping center, Opera House Hotel, a Verizon office building and Streamline Plastics Co. Seventeen cooling towers in the South Bronx have now been tested, with five being positive for Legionella. The outbreak in the South Bronx is believed to have originated in cooling towers. New York City health authorities also said that 81 people have now been diagnosed with the disease, with 64 of these requiring hospitalisation.Īll seven of the people who have died were older adults with underlying health problems, officials said.

The death toll from the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York has risen to seven, health officials have confirmed. The outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the South Bronx area of New York is believed to have originated in cooling towers CDC

Legionnaires disease outbreak opera house hotel