A seventh person has died as a result of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem, according to health officials.
The New York City Health Department said Thursday that the seventh death was one of 114 confirmed cases in all since late July. There were six people currently in the hospital after being sickened by the disease.
It comes just days after authorities said they were investigating at least at least two cases of Legionnaires’ disease at a Bronx condominium complex to determine a possible connection, though they said those patients were not believed to be linked to the Harlem cluster.
The Bronx cases are thought to be related to a building’s internal hot water plumbing system, health officials say, which is different from when they are tied to cooling towers, as is the case in the Central Harlem outbreak. When cooling towers are involved, the outbreak spans multiple neighborhoods.
Cases are more self-contained when a single building is involved.
The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease had been discovered in 12 cooling towers on 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic, health officials said. Remediation efforts have since been completed on all of the cooling towers and officials say they believe the Harlem outbreak is contained.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by Legionella bacteria, which grows in warm water and spread through building water systems.
People usually develop symptoms — a cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath — between two days to two weeks after exposure to the bacteria, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
City health officials say people who live or work in the area should contact a healthcare provider if they develop flu-like symptoms.