Bronx residents press NYC officials on latest Legionnaires' outbreak during town hall meeting
THE BRONX, New York (WABC) -- Residents and local officials voiced concerns as New York City health officials work to identify the cooling tower linked to a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in two South Bronx ZIP codes.
During a public question-and-answer session on Tuesday night, tensions surfaced as city health officials discussed efforts to narrow down the source of the outbreak. For some residents, the situation carries serious health implications.
Debra Myers, who lives in an impacted ZIP code and said she is at higher risk, questioned whether building owners are complying with testing requirements.
"We don't know if they're testing these buildings or not. You understand? He just told me these buildings are supposed to be tested every 31 days," Myers said.
The focus of the Health Department's investigation has shifted to whether building owners are following regulations. Officials are inspecting 10 addresses that tested positive for Legionella bacteria. Yankee Stadium and Lincoln Hospital were among the locations identified. According to the health commissioner, all of the sites have been disinfected.
Health Commissioner Alister Martin said officials are responding aggressively to the outbreak, noting challenges unique to the affected community.
"We're dealing with a different population here which has its own challenges, which is why in both cases we move quickly, move aggressively and try to do everything we can do remove the source of exposure as quickly as possible," Martin said.
The Health Department says New York City has some of the strongest laws in the country aimed at ensuring building owners properly maintain cooling towers. However, Martin said city inspections are conducted annually, drawing criticism from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
"No, I think there was concern when he said that and I said it myself - I think we have to revisit this conversation and work with the City Council on making sure they can be more frequent," Gibson said.
Martin also said the administration is considering moving away from cooling towers because of the risks they carry.
The outbreak has revived memories of previous Legionnaires' disease clusters in New York City, including an outbreak in the South Bronx in 2015 that killed more than a dozen people.
For now, health officials say the top priority is ensuring that residents experiencing flu-like symptoms seek medical attention immediately.
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