A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak has been reported in Manhattan, stoking fears as the number of cases — which currently sits at 18 — continues to grow. Here’s what to know about Legionnaires’ disease and the current outbreak.
What Is Legionnaires’ Disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that comes from bacteria growth in warm water, the city’s health department said.
How Does Legionnaires’ Disease Spread?
People are at risk of getting Legionnaires’ disease if they breathe in water vapor contaminated with the bacteria.
The health department says you cannot get it through drinking water, cooking or from using AC units.
If multiple people become infected within a neighborhood, a typical source would be a cooling tower, hot tub or spray fountain, NYC Health wrote on its website.
Mark Levine, the city’s comptroller, said this current cluster of cases stems from a contaminated cooling tower, not a water system.
“All cooling towers in area are being sampled and tested in the NYC Public Health Lab,” he wrote on X Sunday night. “It unfortunately takes several weeks for cultures to grow.”
Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in the Upper East Side
The city’s health department says it is investigating a community cluster in Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, two neighborhoods in the Upper East Side.
The reported zip codes affected include 10028, 10128 and 10075.
“This is not an issue with any building’s plumbing system,” the department said on its website. “Residents in these ZIP codes can continue to drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook, and use your air conditioner at home.”
“If you live or work in this area, or have visited since late June, monitor for flu-like symptoms and contact a healthcare provider ASAP if symptoms occur,” Levine wrote on X.
What Are the Symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease?
Symptoms can arise around two to 10 days after bacteria exposure, the Mayo Clinic says. According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires’ disease can present with the following symptoms:
Headaches and muscle aches
Fever
Coughing and shortness of breath
Chest pain
Nausea
Confusion
Reporting by Amethyst Martinez, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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