10 dead, 100 sick from Legionnaires Outbreak in NYC
Quote:
Nearly three dozen cases of Legionnaires' disease, a severe, often lethal, form of pneumonia spread through the air, have been reported in the Bronx over the last two weeks in what the Health Department is calling a concerning "unusual increase" in cases.
Thirty-one cases have been reported in south Bronx neighborhoods, primarily in High Bridge, Morrisania, Hunts Point and Mott Haven, since July 10, the Health Department said. Two of the people stricken with the condition died.
Legionnaires' disease is caused by exposure to the bacteria Legionella; in most cases, people are exposed to the bacteria by inhaling contaminated aerosols from cooling towers, hot tubs, showers and faucets or drinking water.
Officials are testing water from cooling towers and other potential sources in the area to determine the source of the outbreak.
Legionnaires' disease usually sets in two to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria and has symptoms similar to pneumonia, including shortness of breath, high fever, chills and chest pains. People with Legionnaires' also experience appetite loss, confusion, fatigue and muscle aches.
It cannot be spread person-to-person and those at highest risk for contracting the illness include the elderly, cigarette smokers, people with chronic lung or immune system disease and those receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.
Update: It has gone up to 57 and 3 of the patients, two middle-aged men and a middle-aged woman have died.
One of the hospitals that I was just in around June tested positive and was listed as a possible source of the city’s outbreak but the latest reports are now saying that is no longer the case.
The cooling towers are being disinfected and the water systems are apparently fine.
You'll be fine since it's happening in The Bronx. However, the areas infected in The Bronx are close to Upper Manhattan so if there's an outbreak there then I think climate change is the cause of this and not a common source. I don't know, they need to hurry up and find out.
NY and NYC needs better safety standards for apartments and houses. NYC has always been the place where government officials looked the other way while landlords didnt keep up their rental properties to a minimal standard. They need to get serious about safety.
NY and NYC needs better safety standards for apartments and houses. NYC has always been the place where government officials looked the other way while landlords didnt keep up their rental properties to a minimal standard. They need to get serious about safety.
It was about 10 times worse in the 80s - things aren't where they need to be but they've improved.
It was about 10 times worse in the 80s - things aren't where they need to be but they've improved.
Doesn't matter. The building owners need to be sued by the residents and the city.... or they need to just condemn the unsafe buildings. Watch how fast things improve.
Those numbers are starting to get out of hand. Who knows how many people could actually be affected, especially since this disease is exposed to people through water systems.
Those numbers are starting to get out of hand. Who knows how many people could actually be affected, especially since this disease is exposed to people through water systems.
+ the incubation period being quite fluid.
Quote:
People of any age may suffer from Legionnaires' disease, but the illness most often affects middle-aged and older persons, particularly those who smoke cigarettes or have chronic lung disease. Immunocompromised patients are also at elevated risk.
One of the hospitals that I was just in around June tested positive and was listed as a possible source of the city’s outbreak but the latest reports are now saying that is no longer the case.
