A deadly outbreak in New York City has left residents reeling as health officials confirm another death. Meanwhile, two construction workers plan to sue over the potentially deadly disease outbreak.
Health officials have confirmed a fifth person has died in connection with a deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City. More than 100 people have been infected with the pneumonia disease, which is thought to have started in cooling towers.
The latest death was announced late Monday night, and the outbreak in Central Harlem has been infecting people since it was first discovered in late July. According to the health department, fourteen people were hospitalized as of Monday.
According to health officials, Legionella bacteria have been discovered in 12 cooling towers on 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic. Since then, remediation efforts have been completed on all of the cooling towers.
Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted by breathing in tiny droplets of water containing the bacteria. It is usually caught in places like hotels, hospitals, or offices where the bacteria have contaminated the water supply.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by bacteria that grow in warm water and spread through building water systems. The New York outbreak has been linked to cooling towers, which use water and a fan to cool buildings.
The outbreak is thought to have been worsened by the recent heatwave in the city. Heat waves can increase the risk of Legionnaires’ disease, as Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water and multiply rapidly.
According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include a cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. They usually start two days to two weeks after exposure.
Officials have urged residents or workers in the area to contact a health care provider if they develop any of the symptoms listed.
The news of the latest death comes as two construction workers who were infected with the disease have launched lawsuits against two companies for alleged negligence that led to the New York City outbreak.
On Wednesday, Duane Headley and Nunzio Quinto from Nassau County in Long Island said in separate complaints that they were infected with the life-threatening disease while working on construction sites at or near Harlem Hospital Center.
Both complaints allege negligence, which they say led to the outbreak. Headley, who filed the complaint against Rising Sun Construction LLC, and Quinto, who filed a complaint against Skanska USA Building, Inc., claim the companies failed to maintain the properties or test the cooling towers for bacteria.
The outbreak has been described as the citys worst Legionnaires disease outbreak in a decade.
Ben Crump, the well-known civil rights attorney representing the men, said in a press conference on Wednesday, “This medical tragedy that led to the deaths of five citizens from Harlem, that we know about, was a completely preventable outbreak.”
The two workers are seeking compensation for loss of income and the physical and emotional pain caused by being infected with the disease.
Additionally, two attorneys told Pix11 that a group of New Yorkers infected with the disease are also gearing up to launch lawsuits.
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