Remediation was ordered in early May by the department after four cooling towers in the Highbridge and Melrose sections of the borough tested positive for the presence of Legionella pneumophila, a type of bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease.

 

 

The health department informed Norwood News on June 8 that it had ordered the four Highbridge area cooling towers that had tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease to be treated with chemicals that kill the bacteria. “Further testing results confirmed Legionella pneumophila in three of these towers and all three were fully cleaned and disinfected,” a City official said.

 

The official added at the time, “These test results do not show whether any of these towers caused cases of Legionnaires’ disease (in the affected patients). The department is sometimes able to link a cooling tower with cases (making a genetic match). If we make this link, we will share those findings.”

 

The health official added at the time, “Those who live or work in the Highbridge area should continue to monitor for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease (including fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion or diarrhea) and contact their health care provider at the first sign of feeling unwell. People in the neighborhood are at risk regardless of whether they live or work in a building with one of the cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella pneumophila.”

 

We asked DOH if the agency could confirm the precise location of the impacted towers which were being examined as part of the investigation. They confirmed that these were at:

• 881 Gerard Avenue
• 1325 Jerome Avenue
• 1181 Nelson Avenue
• 1020 Grand Concourse

As of yesterday, 24 people have been diagnosed with Legionnaires and, unfortunately, we have had 2 fatalities. We are closely monitoring the situation. If you experience flu-like symptoms please seek immediate medical attention. pic.twitter.com/poOoGTlEJm

— Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson (@bronxbp) June 2, 2022

 

After what was described by City health officials as an extensive epidemiologic investigation, sampling of area cooling towers, and molecular analysis of Legionella bacteria from human and cooling tower specimens, the health department’s public health laboratory and epidemiologists matched the Legionella strain found in the cooling tower located at 1325 Jerome Avenue, ZIP code 10452, with the strain found in two patients from the Highbridge cluster.

 

“The health department sampled that cooling tower on the day the investigation began, on May 20,” health officials said. “The building owner was ordered to immediately disinfect on May 23 and perform additional remediation on June 3. The building has complied and is working with the health department on their long-term management program.”

 

 

As reported, there was an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in October 2019 in Jerome Park’s Tracey Towers, when the City’s health department told residents of 20 West Mosholu Parkway South that the water supply system in their building had tested positive for the Legionella bacteria. Four cases of Legionnaires’ disease were identified among residents. The impacted residents were later confirmed as having been discharged from the hospital.