5 Things to Know About Legionnaire's Disease After 7 Deaths, 81 Cases In The Bronx

Residents in New York City’s Bronx neighborhood are being extra cautious after an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease that has killed four people and infected 71 others since July 10.

Update: MyFOXNY reported Monday evening that there have now been seven deaths and 81 cases.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is hosting a town hall tonight, Monday, at the Bronx Museum to help curb fears about the virus.

So what is Legionnaire’s Disease and who’s at risk?

Here are five things you should know:

1. What is it?

Legionellosis is the formal name for a type of pneumonia that grows and spreads in warm water. According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms occur two to 14 days after contact and include fever, headache and muscle aches.

The disease is treated with antibiotics, and some patients require hospitalization. It is fatal in 10 to 15 percent of cases, according to the CDC.

2. How did it start in the Bronx?

The health department said it started receiving reports of cases on July 10, and that number has continued to rise. Officials believe the source of the outbreak is certain water cooling systems in the South Bronx.

New York Daily News reported that 22 buildings were inspected, with five going through cleaning after they tested positive for the virus.

According to ABC7NY, the five buildings were Streamline Plastics Company, the Opera House Hotel, Concourse Plaza Mall, Lincoln Hospital and a Verizon office at 117 Street.

3. How does it spread and who is at risk?

Legionnaire’s spreads via “inhalation of a water aerosol containing the bacteria,” according to the CDC. Basically, breathing the air near or around any infected water can be dangerous.

It cannot spread person-to-person, so there isn’t any risk of a flu-like outbreak taking over New York City or the Northeast part of the country.

Those most at risk, according to the health department, are “people who are middle-aged or older – especially cigarette smokers – people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems and people who take medicines that weaken their immune systems.”

Dr. Mary Bassett, commissioner of the health department, said New York City’s water supply is not contaminated, CNN reported.

4. What is the city doing for prevention?

The city required that all buildings that tested positive submit long-term plans for prevention. The sites that were identified were cleaned, and the city said it believes the source of the disease has been eradicated.

Still, the health department said there may be a continued increase in cases before it disappears.

“We strongly believe that we have removed the factor that was making people sick,” Health Department deputy commissioner Jay Varma said, according to the Daily News.

“Case numbers may increase for a few days, but we expect them to decline rapidly after that. The city’s drinking water supply and other water features, like fountains and pools, continue to be safe and are unaffected by Legionella.”

5. What should I do if I think I may be infected?

The health department recommends that anyone experiencing symptoms like fever, chills or a cough should get tested for pneumonia.

And if you are a smoker or have a medical condition that affects your breathing, the department recommends contacting your doctor about getting tested for Legionnaire’s.

Read more about the disease on the New York City health department website.

Image via Wikimedia