A woman battling Legionnaires’ disease is now taking aim at New York City for what she claims is inaction as Harlem grapples with an increasingly deadly outbreak.
It’s the latest of several lawsuits related to the outbreak.
“I’m scared if I go to sleep, I might not wake up.”
Joyce Mack, 60, says ever since contracting Legionnaires’ disease, she feels trapped in her apartment by a heavy machine that helps her breathe and in her mind by the fear of losing her life.
“I watch TV all night. I will not go to sleep,” she said. “I’m scared if I go to sleep, I might not wake up.”
Mack is one of 111 people, so far, diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease this summer in Central Harlem. The cases have been centralized to five ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039.
Thursday, officials announced the death toll rose to six.
“I want to live. I just made 60. I want to live for a long time. I don’t want to just go,” Mack said.
She’s preparing to file a lawsuit against the city for not doing more to stop the Legionnaires’ outbreak. It’s believed she potentially contracted the disease from a city-owned building. Harlem Hospital is named in the notice of claim.
“The city itself is not maintaining its own cooling towers as required by city law,” attorney Ronald Katter said.
NYC Health and Hospitals responded to the claim with a statement reading, in part: “NYC Health + Hospitals has a one of the most rigorous cooling tower safety and inspection programs, exceeding city testing and cleaning requirements. We inspect towers every day; further, we look for legionella weekly instead of the required every 90 days.”
At least two lawsuits have been filed over the outbreak, and a third is planned, in addition to Mack’s lawsuit.
Harlem community leaders demand more information from NYC
Harlem community leaders came together Friday to address the outbreak and join calls against the city for transparency and accountability.
“This is heartbreaking and unacceptable, and most importantly, it is preventable,” said Marquis Harrison, chairperson of Manhattan Community Board 10.
Community Board 10 made demands Friday, including a full update from the city on the current investigation and remediation efforts of Legionnaires’ disease, as well as the tower locations.
In the meantime, those battling the disease, like Mack, are forced to take it day by day.
“I’m saying to myself, ‘I hope I’m not next,'” she said. “God got me here for a reason, not a season.”