Legionnaires Strikes Again

#Legionnaires Strikes Again

7 People Infected in Morris Park

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX NEWS)- The Legionnaires Epidemic does not appear to want to go away. Health officials now say 7 new people have been diagnosed with the disease in Morris Park.

Health experts say this latest outbreak is not related to the South Bronx outbreak this summer in which 12 people died and 120 were infected with the disease.

Officials were vague as to where in Morris Park these cases were diagnosed.

Patients in the current cluster live or work in Morris Park, range in age from 45 to 75 and are all currently hospitalized. There have been no deaths. New Yorkers with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough, chills and difficulty breathing, are advised to promptly seek medical attention.

“We are investigating a cluster of seven cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Morris Park. I urge all New Yorkers to seek care immediately if they have flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, headache, or difficulty breathing. The Department is taking immediate steps to determine the source and protect the people who live and work in Morris Park,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett.

• The Health Department was notified of these seven cases between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27.

• On Sept. 21, when the first case was reported, the Health Department’s disease detectives began investigating immediately. This work initially involves interviewing patients and reviewing medical records.

• Since Saturday, environmental scientists visited all cooling towers and took samples.

• Issued a Health Alert to providers advising them to look for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, conduct appropriate tests on patients, and provide proper samples to the Department for lab testing.

• Conducting tests at our Public Health Lab and the New York State Wadsworth Center.

• Monitoring Emergency Department visits for pneumonia among residents of Morris Park, which have remained at normal levels.

• Identifying facilities such as nursing homes and senior centers where vulnerable populations live in and near Morris Park. Starting today, the Department will work with other City agencies to send staff to these locations, distributing Frequently Asked Questions about Legionnaires’ disease, answering questions and reminding people to seek care immediately if they have symptoms such as fever, chills and muscle ache.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued the following statement:

“My office has been informed by the City’s Department of Health & Mental Hygiene of cluster of Legionnaire’s Disease in Morris Park. We are in contact with city, state and federal officials about this latest outbreak, and we will continue to stay on top of these developments and take the necessary measures as we gather more information.

“My office will share information with the public through my website and through social media channels on this cluster as it becomes available. As we monitor this situation, we urge anyone who feels sick to visit their doctor or a hospital to get checked. It is too important to wait,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Flyers in English, Spanish, French and Chinese answering frequently asked questions on Legionnaire’s Disease can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/1FDHjtT.

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