Health Officials Investigate Cluster of Legionnaires' Disease Cases in Long Island, New York
Health officials on Long Island, New York, are investigating 10 reported cases of Legionnaires' disease.
The source of the cluster has yet to be identified, but New York is seeing an uptick in Legionnaires cases statewide, according to the Nassau County Department of Health.
The cases are in a one-mile radius of Wantagh Avenue and Old Jerusalem Road on the Levittown/Wantagh border, and the cluster was identified for the time period of October, reported CBS News. These cases were reported in October.
According to the Nassau County Department of Health, people at higher risk of becoming ill with Legionnaires’ disease are: people 50 years of age or older; current or former smokers; those with chronic lung disease; those with a weakened immune system; and people who take immunosuppressant medications.
According to CBS New York, medical teams are working on contact tracing and are swabbing and sampling on site.
The cluster of cases include people between the ages of 35 and 96. As of Oct. 16, one person has died from Legionnaires, two are hospitalized and seven have been released from the hospital, reported CBS New York.
Nassau County Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein said the Long Island neighborhood's drinking water is safe for consumption and no cases have been linked to school buildings.
According to Eisentein, there is a whole team of inspectors now walking the neighborhood immediately around the houses impacted.
As a result, Legionnaires disease Lawyer Jory Lange and Manhattan attorney Scott Harford have been retained in the Central Harlem Legionnaires Outbreak, reported WWNY-TV News. Complaints allege that victims developed Legionnaires' disease after breathing water vapors contaminated with the legionella pathogen.
As of Oct. 19, at least 18 people have gotten Legionnaires disease in the outbreak.
The health department has linked NYC Health and Hospitals/Harlem's cooling tower to the outbreak.
