South Bronx Legionnaires' Outbreak Kills 1 and Sickens 10 as 10 Cooling Towers Test Positive
Updated
Updated · Gothamist · Sep 15
South Bronx Legionnaires' Outbreak Kills 1 and Sickens 10 as 10 Cooling Towers Test Positive
3 articles · Updated · Gothamist · Sep 15
Summary
One person has died and 10 people have tested positive in a South Bronx Legionnaires' outbreak tied to ZIP codes 10451 and 10456; eight patients were hospitalized and five have been discharged.
Ten buildings in the affected area had cooling towers flag positive on rapid PCR tests for Legionella, prompting city orders to clean and disinfect the equipment while culture results take up to two weeks.
74% of buildings in the two ZIP codes were compliant with monthly tower testing as of Friday, below the citywide 82% rate, though 90% of local towers had received annual inspections by August.
20 health department staffers have canvassed the neighborhood and handed out more than 800 flyers, and officials will hold a public town hall Tuesday evening for residents.
The outbreak is the city's second this year after an Upper East Side cluster killed 11 in July, and it revives scrutiny in the South Bronx, where a 2015 outbreak sickened 138 and killed 16.