A second person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the South Bronx, New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said Thursday.
The outbreak has affected people in the 10451 and 10456 ZIP codes, which include parts of Melrose and Morrisania, officials said. It was the city's second Legionnaires’ outbreak this summer; a separate outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side killed 11 people and sickened 94, according to city officials.
Martin announced the second death on social media Thursday. He did not immediately provide additional information about the person who died or an updated number of people sickened in the outbreak.
The South Bronx outbreak was first identified last week. City health officials have been testing cooling towers in the affected area for Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.
Ten cooling towers preliminarily tested positive for Legionella, including towers at Yankee Stadium and Lincoln Hospital, authorities said. Martin said Thursday that all cooling towers that tested positive during the initial screening have been disinfected.
Health officials have said those initial tests detected Legionella DNA but did not determine whether the bacteria were alive or whether any of the towers were connected to the outbreak. Confirmatory testing has been underway to determine whether the towers contained live bacteria, according to the city health department.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by breathing in water vapor containing Legionella bacteria. It does not spread from person to person and can be treated with antibiotics.
City health officials have urged anyone who has lived in, worked in or visited the affected area since late August to contact a health care provider if they develop flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough or difficulty breathing.
