A Legionnaires' disease outbreak affected Harlem, sickening 90 individuals, with 15 hospitalized and 3 fatalities. Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse reported a decline in cases due to effective measures, including inspecting and cleaning cooling towers. Legionella bacteria thrive in unmaintained cooling towers, which have been linked to the outbreak. Insufficient inspections due to staffing shortages have raised concerns. The city must enforce health codes, ensuring cooling towers are inspected semi-annually to prevent future outbreaks and protect public health.
"Ninety people were sickened by the pneumonia-like illness, according to the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; 15 of the victims wound up being hospitalized, and three of them died."
"According to acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse, the number of Legionnaires cases has been on a decline, meaning that the measures taken to curb the spread of the Legionella bacteria that causes the illness were working."
"Inspecting and cleaning cooling towers on the rooftops around the community...not properly maintained by property owners are as inviting to this form of bacteria as a welcome mat."
"The city must do its due diligence to ensure that every cooling tower in every corner of New York meets all health code standards and is inspected twice annually for Legionella bacteria."
Collection
[
|
...
]