Two cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been reported in the New York City borough of Staten Island, just a day after officials announced they were investigating two cases in the borough of Queens.
The New York City Health Department is investigating the hot water system at Castleton Park Apartments, a housing development in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island.
Officials said two residents of the apartments contracted Legionnaires’ disease and sent a letter to building residents on September 28 informing them that the building’s water system had tested positive for Legionella bacteria, the pathogen that causes Legionnaires’ disease.
Legionella bacteria thrives in warm and damp locations. It can become airborne in water vapor and then be breathed in by people, potentially triggering an infection.
Common sources for the Legionella bacteria include centralized air conditioning systems, hot tubs, water fountains and large building plumbing systems.
Testing of the building’s water system was conducted after the residents were diagnosed within the span of a year.
Officials did not specify when the residents contracted the life-threatening lung disease.
A NYC Health Department spokesperson said: ‘We are evaluating the hot water system at an apartment complex in Staten Island after two residents were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.
The New York City Health Department is investigating the hot water system at Castleton Park Apartments, a housing development in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island
Legionella bacteria is the pathogen that causes Legionnaires’ disease
‘While Legionella bacteria has been confirmed, it is important to note that there is no risk to the surrounding community. It is okay to drink the building’s tap water, but Castleton Park Apartments residents should follow the Health Department’s recommendations for safe water use.
‘Remediation is underway and the Health Department will continue to provide residents with updates and guidance.’
Borough President Vito Fossella called on the city to take immediate action to prevent any more residents from contracting the disease, including cleaning the building’s water system.
Officials stressed that the probe is not focused on a cooling tower, like the previous outbreaks New York City has faced, nor is this a community cluster investigation. There is no risk posed to the surrounding area, they added.
The news comes just after Legionnaires’ cases were reported in two Queens residents this week.
The cases were in the North Shore Towers Complex, which is situated in a park and 18-hole golf course off Grand Central Parkway. Both were reported within the last 12 months.
In a release, health officials said they were now testing water systems at the apartment complex for Legionella bacteria but added that the water in the buildings was still safe to drink.
No other buildings in the area have been linked to the suspected Legionnaires’ contamination so far.
Recently, there was a cluster of Legionnaires’ cases reported in the South Bronx, which sickened 23 people and led to two deaths.
And another cluster of infections was reported in the Upper East Side in July, which sickened 94 people and led to 92 hospitalizations and seven deaths.
Both clusters were linked to infected cooling towers. These towers have now been cleaned and neither outbreak is ongoing.
Legionnaires’ disease does not spread from person to person.
Infected patients initially suffer from a headache, muscle aches and fever, before the disease also triggers a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion or other symptoms.
In severe cases, patients can suffer from severe pneumonia and the potentially fatal complication sepsis, when the bacteria spreads to the blood. The disease kills about ten percent of patients.
Doctors can treat the disease using antibiotics but note these drugs are most effective during the early stages of the disease and before its spread in the body.
Those who are over 50 years old, smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system are at higher risk from the bacteria.
Nationwide, infections with Legionnaires’ disease have soared over the last two decades, rising from about 1,100 cases in 2000 to more than 8,000 today.
New York City records between 300 and 600 cases every year, according to data from the city’s health department.
In addition to the Upper East Side outbreak over the summer, in August of last year, seven people died and 114 people were sickened by a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem. Ninety people were hospitalized.
Health officials linked that outbreak to the bacteria in 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic.
About 90 percent of those infected had underlying risk factors, including being over 50 years old, being a smoker or having a chronic lung disease.
