Legionella Detected At Yankee Stadium Amid Fatal Outbreak, Health Officials Say

BRONX, NY — A cooling tower at Yankee Stadium is among the 10 that tested positive for Legionella bacteria, health officials said Sunday as they work to contain the fatal South Bronx outbreak that has killed one person and sickened 10.

On Thursday, the city began an investigation into two Bronx ZIP codes — 10451 and 10456 — after identifying a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease cases. The city has tested 24 cooling towers in the impacted area.

Since the outbreak began, eight people were hospitalized, five people were discharged, one person did not require hospitalization, and one person died, the health department said.

All 10 cooling towers that tested positive in the PCR test were ordered to be cleaned, drained and disinfected by Monday to reduce the risk of exposure as the city looks to conduct more tests.

The list includes a few notable addresses, including Lincoln Hospital and Boricua College.

Health officials stress that a building's inclusion on the list does not mean it has been identified as the source of the outbreak.

Instead, the list identifies buildings where an initial PCR screening detected Legionella bacteria, prompting the city to order immediate cleaning and disinfection while more definitive culture testing continues to determine whether live bacteria are present and whether any tower is linked to the outbreak.

The 10 cooling towers with positive PCR results are located at:

• 820 Concourse Village West
• 234 E. 149th St.
• 1 E. 161st St.
• 470 E. 161st St.
• 1265 Franklin Ave.
• 567 Melrose Ave.
• 3339 Park Ave.
• 1160 Teller Ave.
• 890 Washington Ave.
• 1085 Washington Ave.

Eight of the 10 cooling towers that tested positive by PCR are compliant with the 31-day testing requirement that took effect on May 8, but the cooling towers at 820 Concourse Village West and 1265 Franklin Ave. did not provide testing information as required.

What Does It Mean If A Building Is On The List?

The city is using two different tests to investigate cooling towers.

The first, called a PCR test, detects DNA from Legionella bacteria. A positive result confirms the bacteria's genetic material is present but does not determine whether the bacteria are alive or capable of causing illness.

The second test, known as a culture test, can take up to two weeks. It determines whether live Legionella bacteria are present and, if so, how much is in the cooling tower. Those results will help investigators determine whether any of the buildings are actually linked to the outbreak.

What Happens After A Cooling Tower Tests Positive?

Residents and neighbors don't need to pressure building managers to take action.

Any building that receives a positive PCR test is immediately ordered by the city to drain, clean and disinfect its cooling tower — even before culture results are available.

What Symptoms Should I Watch For?

Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm, humid environments such as cooling towers.

People become infected by breathing in contaminated mist. The disease does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms typically include fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, and shortness of breath. Some people also experience headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion or diarrhea.

Who Is Most At Risk?

People who are 50 or older, smoke or vape, have chronic lung disease or have weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of becoming seriously ill, officials said.

In addition to residents of the three affected ZIP codes, anyone who visited the east side of Central Park between East 76th and East 97th streets since late June should monitor themselves for symptoms, officials said.

The disease is extremely rare in children, and never present in pets, health officials said.

Health officials recommend that anyone who has spent time in the impacted ZIP codes monitor themselves for symptoms.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.