Three people have died and more than 60 others are sickened in a growing Legionnaires’ disease cluster in New York City, according to officials.
The cluster, which began July 25, has led to 67 Legionnaires’ disease diagnoses in Central Harlem as of Aug. 5, according to the NYC Department of Health’s latest update.
The source of the cluster is believed to be a cooling tower in the area, according to the agency.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella, which grows in warm water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Legionnaires’ disease: What to know about growing NYC cluster
Where is the NYC Legionnaires’ cluster?
More than 60 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem as of Aug. 5, according to the NYC Department of Health’s latest update.
NYC Health said the Legionnaires’ disease cluster is affecting the following Central Harlem zip codes:
The agency previously said the likely source of the bacteria causing the Legionnaires’ cluster is a cooling tower in the area.
After testing, 11 cooling towers in the area of the cluster had positive results for the Legionella bacteria. NYC Health said Aug. 4 that remediation of the 11 towers had been completed.
“Anyone in these zip codes with flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a release. “Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early, but New Yorkers at higher risk, like adults aged 50 and older and those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions, should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”
The health department also said the cluster does not involve any building’s plumbing system, meaning it is safe to drink water, bathe, shower, cook and use air conditioners.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by consuming water contaminated with Legionella bacteria, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of the disease can take up to 14 days after exposure to show up and can include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath.
Legionnaires’ disease can be treated with antibiotics, and most healthy people who get infected usually get better. However, about one in 10 people who get Legionnaires’ disease die from it, according to the CDC.
The best way to prevent Legionnaires’ disease, which is a waterborne illness, is by cleaning pipes and devices that use water, according to the CDC.
Is there a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak?
While the number of people with Legionnaires’ disease in the Harlem area has grown, NYC Health has not yet categorized the diagnoses as an outbreak. The agency has referred to it as a cluster.
According to the CDC, a cluster is defined as “an aggregation of cases grouped in place and time that are suspected to be greater than the number expected, even though the expected number may not be known.”
An outbreak is “when there are more disease cases than what is typically expected for a target population in a given time and within a specific location,” according to the CDC.
USA TODAY has reached out to NYC Health for more information about its characterization of the disease grouping.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3 dead, 67 sickened in Harlem Legionnaires’ disease cluster
