Legionnaires' outbreak hits New York as officials rush to test water towers
New York City health officials are addressing an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has resulted in 46 cases and multiple hospitalizations. The city is testing water cooling towers in the Upper East Side to identify and eliminate the source of the bacterial infection.
Why it matters
Public health outbreaks in densely populated urban areas require rapid government intervention to prevent further spread.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, At the town hall on the Upper East Side church this week, New York City Health Commissioner Alister Martin said the city had identified the outbreak early
For the past few days, Justine Kirby has been sporting an N95 mask every time she leaves her house to walk in her quiet Upper East Side neighbourhood.
She is keeping her apartment windows closed, too, as an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease grows to 46 cases, which the city has linked to contaminated water cooling towers.
The cluster of Legionnaires' infections - a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria - has raised alarms among residents in the community, who packed a town hall in an Upper East side church this week to pose a series of questions to New York City's health department.
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