NEW YORK (PIX11) — A third person has died from Legionnaires’ disease, as the number of known cases continues to grow in Central Harlem, according to the New York City Health Department.
The number of known cases has grown to 73 as of Wednesday evening, according to officials.
Denise Merchant says her 63-year-old sister Valerie is currently in Harlem Hospital with Legionnaires’ disease. Valerie was in the intensive care unit earlier this week.
“She was totally out of it, just staring into the air. It’s affecting her brain, and it’s causing her not to be able to speak as much.”
Mayor Eric Adams spent Wednesday evening walking along Lenox Avenue with members of the health department, urging community members to seek medical care if they are feeling sick.
Currently, Legionnaires’ disease can be found in Central Harlem in the zip codes highlighted in the visualization below.
Anyone living or working in the area who experiences flu-like symptoms, including a cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, or difficulty breathing, should contact a healthcare provider immediately.
Remediation has been completed on the 11 cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella last week, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
It’s a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread in building water systems. They can be found in places such as showerheads, hot tubs, and cooling towers.
People often get the disease by inhaling aerosols from contaminated water. Hospital patients can also contract it through contaminated water or ice, and babies can be exposed during water births, health officials said. People don’t get it from each other.
Symptoms usually develop two days to two weeks after exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How does Legionnaires’ disease hurt you, and how can you treat it?
It’s important to be diagnosed quickly and treated with the appropriate antibiotics, health officials said.
If untreated, the disease usually worsens during the first week, the World Health Organization said. Complications can include respiratory failure, shock, and kidney or multi-organ failure.
How can Legionnaires’ disease be prevented?
People responsible for the safety of buildings and water systems can reduce the threat by taking steps to minimize the growth of the bacteria, the WHO said. For example, they should regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers, maintain an adequate level of chlorine in spa pools, and flush unused taps in buildings weekly.
There are also steps people can take to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease at home. New York state health officials suggest draining garden hoses, following manufacturers’ instructions for cleaning and replacing water filters; checking chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs regularly, and flushing hot water heaters twice a year.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press.
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