THE BRONX (PIX11) — New York City health officials are investigating a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in the South Bronx, where five cases have been confirmed, and one person has died.
The cases are in parts of Melrose and Morrisania, including ZIP codes 10451 and 10456. The Health Department says it tested about fourteen cooling towers in the affected area and is now waiting for results.
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On Friday, Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin joined health workers on the streets, speaking with residents and handing out flyers in multiple languages. The outreach is focused on sharing information with people who live, work or have spent time in the area since late August.
The death in the Bronx brings the number of deaths connected to Legionnaires’ disease clusters in New York City this year to 12. Eleven deaths were linked to the Upper East Side cluster earlier this summer.
“I’m scared a little bit, but it’s only the elderly, right?” one resident said.
Health officials say older adults are at greater risk, but Legionnaires’ disease can also pose a greater threat to people who smoke or vape, those with weakened immune systems, and people with chronic health conditions including heart, lung, kidney or liver disease and diabetes.
Anyone who spent time in the affected area since late August should contact a doctor right away if they develop flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
Legionnaires’ disease is not contagious. People can get sick after breathing in mist contaminated with Legionella bacteria. City officials are investigating cooling towers, which are large water systems often located on top of buildings and can release contaminated mist into the air.
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“I wear it for anything since Covid started, I don’t want to want to take it off,” Bronx resident Carmen Torres said.
Health officials say masks are not the focus of the investigation. Instead, the department is examining cooling towers in the affected area.
“Our water ecologists were out there within hours, and over the course of the afternoon and evening, they have completed all the sampling,” Martin said.
The department says preliminary PCR results could help determine whether Legionella bacteria are present in the samples. If a cooling tower tests positive, the city can direct building owners to clean and disinfect it.
“I try to get the strongest cleaning products, and the strongest soaps to clean and sanitize and keep my hopes up that I won’t get contaminated with something,” Bronx resident Catrice Bowen said.
While cleaning showerheads and faucets can help reduce bacteria on fixtures, health guidance says surface cleaning alone cannot address a problem inside a building’s plumbing or water-heating system.
“We’re waiting just for the PCR results, not for the bacterial culture results,” Martin said. “So we’re waiting to get those back and we should have them back, I would say, within the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Health workers are expected to continue canvassing Melrose and Morrisania as the city awaits those test results. New Yorkers can sign up for alerts by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692-692.
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