WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan - The New York City Health Department is investigating a community cluster of Legionnaires' disease in Lower Washington Heights.
Eight people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease in the last seven days.
All but one has been hospitalized and one has been discharged. Ages of the individuals ranged from under 40 to over 80, but most were ages 50 and above.
There have been no deaths associated with this cluster.
Health officials are testing water from all cooling tower systems in the area of the cluster.
Legionnaires' disease is not contagious and is easily treatable when caught early.
People get Legionnaires' disease by breathing in water vapor that contains bacteria.
Adults with flu-like symptoms, cough, fever or difficulty breathing should contact a physician immediately.
"While most people exposed to Legionella don't get sick, individuals ages 50 and above, especially those who smoke and have chronic lung conditions, are at a higher risk," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. "This disease is very treatable with antibiotics. I encourage anyone with symptoms of Legionnaires' disease to seek care early."
The Health Department will hold a community meeting at Saint Luke's AME, 1872 Amsterdam Ave on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m.
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by the bacteria Legionella, which grows in warm water. Symptoms resemble other types of pneumonia and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, and cough. Most cases of Legionnaires' disease can be traced to plumbing systems where conditions are favorable for Legionella growth, such as cooling towers, whirlpool spas, hot tubs, humidifiers, hot water tanks, and evaporative condensers of large air-conditioning systems.
Legionnaires' disease cluster investigated in Washington Heights< New York City | abc7ny.com
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
