The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has so far linked an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the South Bronx—46 cases have been reported since July 10 and two people have died—to cooling towers at Lincoln Hospital and Concourse Plaza. The City's official website reports that the Department is working with the owners of both cooling towers, and they've begun remediation to reduce the potential for exposure. The City is also testing other possible sources, including 10 additional sites surrounding the affected area, as well as interviewing patients and reviewing records to determine whether cases share a common exposure.
Initial steps for decontamination include treating the cooling towers where Legionella bacteria were found with a disinfectant and continuously flushing the system with fresh water. Symptoms of the outbreak include headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion and diarrhea and usually appear two to 10 days after significant exposure to the bacteria. (However, it is not contagious.) Most cases can be traced to plumbing systems where conditions are favorable for Legionella growth, such as whirlpool spas, hot tubs, humidifiers, hot water tanks, cooling towers and evaporative condensers of large air conditioning systems. [NYC.gov]
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