Overview
- The Health Department ordered 10 cooling towers in ZIP codes 10451 and 10456 to be drained, cleaned and disinfected by Monday following preliminary positive PCR results, city officials said Sunday.
- One of the towers is at Yankee Stadium’s 1 E. 161st St. address, and other sites include Lincoln Hospital, Boricua College’s Bronx campus and a local gym.
- Nine people have been diagnosed in the Melrose and Morrisania neighborhoods, including one death; three patients remain hospitalized, four have been discharged and one did not require admission.
- Health officials caution that PCR detects Legionella DNA but cannot show whether bacteria are alive, and confirmatory culture testing could take up to two weeks to determine viability and link environmental samples to patients.
- The city has expanded outreach with flyers and town halls and is reviewing tower compliance records, and officials say they may take enforcement action if an owner is found noncompliant and tied to illnesses.