What to know about Legionnaires’ disease making people sick on New York’s Upper East Side
Summary
New York City health officials are investigating 23 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in two neighborhoods on the Upper East Side. The source is likely one or more cooling towers, which are water systems used for building temperature control. No deaths have been reported, and the city is testing all cooling towers in the area.Key Facts
- There have been 23 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease as of July 6, with 17 people hospitalized.
- The affected neighborhoods are Carnegie Hill and Yorkville in the Upper East Side (ZIP codes 10028, 10128, 10075).
- Legionnaires’ disease is caused by Legionella bacteria found in warm water systems like cooling towers and hot tubs.
- People catch the disease by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water; it cannot spread from person to person.
- Symptoms include cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, and trouble breathing, usually appearing 2 to 14 days after exposure.
- Older adults, smokers, and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk.
- The disease can be serious and even fatal, but early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment help recovery.
- Officials advise residents to keep using tap water and air conditioning as usual and to see a doctor if they develop flu-like symptoms.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
