NYC mayor wants new laws to stem Legionnaires' as death toll hits 12

Tuesday, August 11, 2015 7:28 a.m. CDT


By Katie Reilly

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, reacting to a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, proposed legislation on Monday to register and maintain the city's estimated 2,500 cooling towers, some of which are being blamed for the illness.

On Monday the death toll was raised to 12 from 10 on Saturday and the number of cases to 113 from 108. Officials said the higher figures stem from new reporting, not new deaths or cases.

"All levels of government have been in close coordination and now we are turning our attention to ensuring we can handle any such outbreak in the future and, in fact, prevent any such outbreak," de Blasio said at a press conference on Monday.

The proposal comes as both city and state health officials work to find and disinfect every cooling tower in the city. In the South Bronx area, inspectors have found 39 such towers, 12 of which have tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' when it is inhaled through mist.

De Blasio said 22 of the identified cooling towers have tested negative for the bacteria, and five are still awaiting results. He said all will be disinfected by Monday night.

City health officials said the last time a person became sick with Legionnaires' was a week ago on Aug. 3, and that the outbreak has peaked.

On Saturday, Governor Andrew Cuomo, in partnership with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sent state health workers to help inspect cooling towers in the South Bronx, a move that prompted political questions because of its overlap with the mayor's response to the outbreak.

But de Blasio said on Monday that health experts at all levels are working together.

"The politicians are not the issue here. The issue is the people who know the facts, are they working together constantly? The answer is yes," he said.

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

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NYC investigates Legionnaire's outbreak

Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY 9:14 p.m. EDT July 29, 2015

mary bassett

(Photo: Kena Betancur, Getty Images)

New York City's Department of Health is investigating an outbreak in the Bronx of deadly Legionairre's disease, city officials said Wednesday.

Since July 10, there have been 31 cases reported and two people have died from the ailment, caused by a bacteria known as Legionella, according to the city's Department of Health. Legionella often is traced to plumbing systems.

City officials are "concerned" about the outbreak, health commissioner Mary Bassett said in a statement.

"We are conducting a swift investigation to determine the source of the outbreak and prevent future cases," Bassett said.

Early detection is key, she said. Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed that.

"Thank God this is a disease that can be treated," CBS New York quoted the mayor as saying.

Legionnaire's causes flu-like symptoms, such as coughing, fever, chills, aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion and diarrhea. Cases can usually be traced to plumbing systems such as those found with whirlpool spas, hot tubs, hot water tanks and cooling towers.

City officials were investigating and testing water from cooling towers in the south Bronx area of the outbreak.

The Department of Health is asking that people with respiratory symptoms seek medical attention promptly. Those at risk are people middle-aged or older, smokers and those with lung diseases.

Legionnaire's is a severe form of pneumonia, according to The Mayo Clinic. People can only become ill by breathing in contaminated water vapor, such as mist from faucets, showers or whirlpools.The disease is not spread by human contact.

The illness first grabbed public attention in 1976 in Philadelphia, after several men attending an American Legion state convention became sickened with a mysterious illness and died.


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