Cooling towers potentially linked to Bronx Legionnaires' disease cluster identified
New York City health officials have identified cooling towers potentially linked to a deadly Legionnaires' disease cluster in the South Bronx.
As of Tuesday, 22 people have tested positive for Legionnaires' disease in the Melrose and Morrisania sections. Two of those 22 patients have died, and three patients are currently hospitalized.
The city health department says 10 cooling towers within the impacted area in the 10451, 10455, 10456, or 10459 ZIP codes tested positive for Legionella bacteria, and seven of those 10 towers were found to have live Legionella bacteria, which causes the disease.
The health department says the locations of those seven towers are:
- 567 Melrose Ave.
- 3339 Park Ave.
- 820 Concourse Village West
- 470 E. 161st St.
- 890 Washington Ave.
- 1160 Teller Ave.
- 1265 Franklin Ave.
Health officials say all 10 of the cooling towers have already been cleaned and disinfected.
"We are moving decisively and deliberately to protect New Yorkers from this Legionnaires' disease cluster in the South Bronx. We've taken an aggressive response," Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said in a statement. "We will continue to move with urgency and keep New Yorkers informed as this investigation unfolds."
Officials have not yet determined which, if any, of those cooling towers is the source of the South Bronx cluster.
Cooling tower testing in the area is ongoing, and the health department says they will continue to release locations of towers that contain Legionella bacteria as those results become available.
Anyone who has recently spent time in the impacted area should seek medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms. More information on the disease can be found on the health department's website at nyc.gov/legionnaires.
This is the second Legionnaires' disease cluster in the city this year. This summer, 11 people died and a total of 94 people were sickened in connection to an outbreak on the Upper East Side.
