Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak 2017 Leaves 1 Dead, 6 Hospitalized

An outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease left one person dead and six hospitalized after contracting the disease in the Lenox Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, WNBC reported Friday.

According to the New York City Department of Health, the period of contagion was in the last 11 days. The person who died from the disease was in their 90s, while four people are recovering in the hospital and two have been discharged from the hospital, a press release said Friday.

Read: What Is Legionnaires' Disease? Bacteria Found In Dallas Fort-Worth Airport Water Supply

The disease cluster was identified within a small radius in Lenox Hill, around Third Avenue and East 70th Street, said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett. The Health Department is currently trying to identify the source of the outbreak.

“I urge individuals in this area with respiratory symptoms to seek medical attention right away,” Bassett said.

Legionnaires’ Disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria Legionella. Symptoms may include cough, shortness of breath, fever and headache.

About one in ten people who contract the disease will die, though the disease is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics. People over 50 are more at risk of contracting Legionnaires’ Disease. Contributing factors include being a current or former smoker or taking immune system-weakening medications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Common sources of an outbreak can be traced to water systems such as shower water, cooling towers, and hot tubs, as Legionella thrives in warm water. Water from all cooling tower systems within a 0.3-mile radius of the outbreak section will be tested by the health agency.

News of the Lenox Hill outbreak comes after the Florida Department of Health confirmed four cases of Legionnaires’ Disease at two LA Fitness gyms, as reported by WKMG Monday. When health inspectors went to both facilities, they found that the showers and spas at both locations needed to be disinfected with hydro-chlorinated solution.

Read: Flint, Michigan Water Crisis: Legionnaires Outbreak That Killed 12 Could Have Been Prevented

The Florida Department of Health has said that they are investigating the cases, preparing to treat the areas and closing the both facilities’ showers and spas until further notice.

According to the CDC, about 6,000 cases of the disease were reported in 2015, however, since it is an underdiagnosed disease, the number of true cases may have been higher.