A total of 18 sites that have been contaminated with legionella bacteria have been identified in the South Bronx, New York City, according to the Office of the Mayor. All testing was conducted by a single laboratory run by the State of New York and the Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany.
Eleven sites tested positive for the bacteria within the impact zone. Seven sites have tested positive for legionella that are outside of the impact zone; they are not necessarily related to the South Bronx outbreak. Every cooling tower in the impact zone has been disinfected and remediated.
The list of contaminated sites in the impact zone is as follows: Concourse Plaza at 198 E. 161st Street, Opera House Hotel at 436 E. 149 St., Lincoln Hospital at 234 E. 149 St., Streamline Plastics at 2950 Park Avenue, Daughters of Jacob Nursing Home at 1150 Teller Avenue, Post Office at 558 Grand Concourse, Verizon at 117 E. 167th St., Bronx Housing Courts at 1118 Grand Concourse, and NYC Department of Education, also called Samuel Gompers High School, at 455 Southern Boulevard.
Four of the seven sites that are contaminated but outside the impact zone are: Verizon at 1106 Hoe Ave., Police Department at 1086 Simpson St., 1201 Lafayette Ave., and 230 East 123rd St. The location of the other three sites has not been released.
The symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease are like pneumonia. They include cough, high fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headache. The time from exposure to symptoms is usually 2 days to 2 weeks. Many people who contract this illness require hospitalization, and up to 30% die. If you live in the South Bronx and have experienced these symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible.
