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Authorities in New York have raised concerns after a severe lung illness spread across certain areas of the city.
The NYCThe Health Department is currently looking into a group of five Legionnaires' disease cases in Central Harlem.
The individuals are situated in areas with the postal codes 10027, 10030, 10035, and 10037.
A severe type of pneumonia is known aspneumoniawhich leads to lung inflammation, and severe cases of the illness can result in death.
It results from a bacterium called Legionella, which is mainly transmitted by inhaling water droplets or aerosols that have been contaminated.
These infectious droplets may originate from different water systems, such as cooling towers, hot tubs, showers, and ornamental fountains.
So far, no fatalities have been linked to the group of patients identified in New York.
The origin of the infections remains unidentified, while the Health Department is currently examining these cases and collecting and analyzing water samples from all cooling tower systems in the region.
"Anyone from New York experiencing flu-like symptoms should reach out to a healthcare professional immediately," said deputy chief medical officer Dr. Toni Eyssallenne in a statement.
She stated: "Early detection of Legionnaires' disease allows for effective treatment."
But individuals in New York who are at greater risk, such as adults 50 years and older, smokers, or those with chronic lung diseases, should be particularly attentive to their symptoms and consult a healthcare provider as soon as any symptoms appear.
According to the CDC, there has been a rise in Legionnaires' disease cases since the early 2000s, reaching a high point in 2018.
Although the number of confirmed cases decreased in the initial year of the Covid-19 outbreak, there was a resurgence in 2021.
From 2015 to 2020, the bacteria Legionellaled to 184 disease outbreaks in the United States, causing 786 cases, 544 hospital admissions, and 86 fatalities.
One out of every ten individuals who fall ill may pass away.
No up-to-date information is available for Legionnaires' disease.
The chances of dying are greater if the illness is acquired in a hospital, with at least one out of four patients passing away.
Initial signs of Legionnaire's disease are characterized by a fever, reduced hunger, head pain, tiredness, body aches, and loose bowel movements.
The seriousness can vary from a slight cough to life-threatening pneumonia, and early treatment with antibiotics is crucial for survival.
Legionella has the ability to live and multiply in intricate groups of microorganisms known as biofilms, which develop on surfaces inside water systems.
Upon arrival, the bacteria enters the water and turns into an aerosol.
Plumbing systems, particularly those linked to hot water, like water heaters and supply pipes, may also act as breeding grounds for Legionella bacteria to grow.
From that point, it can pollute water within the pipes. Areas with still or slow-moving water in the pipes also promote the growth of Legionella.
Legionella bacteria can proliferate greatly in the hot water systems of large structures such as hospitals because of various reasons, including water temperatures under 50 degrees Celsius, regions where water stagnates, the existence of amoebas and other microorganisms, and the types of materials utilized in the piping.
This year, a person lost their life and multiple individuals were admitted to the hospital as a result of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak at a senior living community in Vermont. The source was traced back to the facility's water system.
Another more recent casualty of Legionnaires' was71-year-old Barbara KruschwitzA person from Massachusetts passed away from the illness in 2023, one week after visiting a resort in New Hampshire.
Her husband Henry mentioned that she had swum in the hotel's pool and hot tub.
He stated, "Her heart had ceased beating and she could not be brought back. And— that's all I can share."
Water purification facilities commonly employ a disinfectant like chlorine to sanitize the drinking water supply.
The best method to check if your water is polluted with Legionella is to have it analyzed by a certified laboratory.
Home testing kits are also available, where users gather water samples and send them to a laboratory for examination.
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