NYC outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease kills seven

This wave of Legionnaires', which officials have called unusual, has now surpassed the number of cases recorded in the last outbreak, in which 12 people in the Bronx fell ill in December 2014. The illness is most common in the summer and early fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include fever, cough, head and muscle aches.

Dr. Jay Varma, deputy commissioner for disease control for the city’s Department of Health, emphasized that the disease was not passed on from person to person and that most people weren't at risk."This is still a pretty rare disease," he said. 

There have been 2,400 cases nationwide this year. The legionella bacteria were discovered last week at a Bronx hotel and in equipment at a hospital.

Officials have traced the likely cause of the outbreak to cooling towers, which can release mist. They said 17 towers in the area have been tested, with five testing positive for legionella bacteria. They said at the meeting Monday that all five of the towers have been decontaminated.

In a statement, Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said new legislation requiring inspections, sanctions and other regulations for property owners whose buildings test positive for the disease would be presented this week to curb future outbreaks.

The disease is easily diagnosed and treated with antibiotics. It poses the most risk to people who have underlying medical conditions, health officials said.

Officials said it would take more time and testing to figure out where the disease originated.

The disease got its name following a 1976 outbreak among people who attended a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion, a veterans organization.

Between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with the disease each year in the United States, according to the CDC. 

Wire services