City officials have identified three new sites as having tested positive for Legionella within the epicenter of the historic Legionnaires' disease outbreak that's sickened 119 people and left 12 dead in New York City.
The following sites, all within the Legionnaires' disease "impact zone" in the south Bronx, have newly tested positive for Legionella, and have either been disinfected and remediated, or are in the process of doing so, according to city health officials:
- Chris’ Super Deli, 903 Sheridan Avenue
- Pyramid Safe Haven, 470 E161st Street
- Conway Store, 2952-4 3rd Avenue
They join these 11 sites previously identified as having tested for Legionella, which have already been disinfected and remediated:
- Concourse Plaza, 198 E. 161st. St.
- Opera House Hotel, 436 E. 149 St.
- Lincoln Hospital, 234 E. 149th St.
- Streamline Plastics, 2950 Park Ave.
- Daughters of Jacob Nursing Home, 1160 Teller Ave.
- Post Office, 558 Grand Concourse
- Verizon, 117 E. 167th St.
- Bronx Housing Courts, 1118 Grand Concourse
- NYC Department of Education 455 Southern Boulevard. Also called Samuel Gompers High School.
- DHS PATH Intake Center, 151 East 151st Street.
- Bronx Hall of Justice, 245 E 161ST Street
Officials said every cooling tower located within the Bronx impact zone has already been ordered to immediately disinfect and remediate, regardless of whether it tested positive for Legionella.
Six other sites outside the Bronx impact zone have tested positive for legionella, but are not necessarily related to the outbreak, officials said. They are:
- Verizon, 1106 Hoe Ave.
- Police Dept., 1086 Simpson St.
- Wildcat Academy, 1201 Lafayette Ave.
- 230 East 123rd St.
- St. Barnabas Nursing Home, 2175 Quarry Rd.
- St. Barnabas Hospital, 4422 3rd Avenue
The cluster in the south Bronx has killed 12 people and sickened more than 100 others, but city officials say they believe there have been no new diagnoses there since Aug. 3.
The disease is a form of pneumonia. It's caused by breathing in mist contaminated with the Legionella bacteria.
It's especially dangerous for the elderly and for people with underlying health issues.
It's not clear what triggered the outbreak, which began last month.
Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio announced Tuesday they would be working together to draft legislation regulating the city's cooling towers both city- and statewide in an effort to combat Legionnaires' and prevent future outbreaks.
