7 New Cases of Legionnaires in The Bronx, This Time in Morris Park

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Weeks after the city declared New York City’s largest outbreak of Legionnaires to be over, which occurred in the South Bronx killing 13 people and sickening hundreds, NYC Department of Health has releases a statement that 7 new cases have come up, this time in the East Bronx neighborhood of Morris Park.

The City has been adamant that it’s not in the water yet earlier this month 4 cases of Legionnaires popped up at Melrose Houses NYCHA buildings where it was found to have the water supply systems contaminated.

What is going on in our water in The Bronx, why are we experiencing these cases of Legionnaires which DOH says are unrelated to the South Bronx outbreak?

NY1 reports:

“The city Department of Health on Monday confirmed they are investigating seven new cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the Morris Park section of the Bronx.

According to a press release, the DOH says they were notified of the new cases between September 21 and September 27.

The DOH says they are working to identify a potential source.

Health officials say the cluster is unrelated to the outbreak in the South Bronx over the summer that was later linked to bacteria found in the cooling tower of the Opera House Hotel.

The DOH says patients in this latest cluster live or work in the Morris Park neighborhood, range in age from 45 to 75 and are all currently hospitalized.

There have been no deaths.

In a statement, Health Commissioner Mary Bassett urged residents with respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, chills and difficulty breathing to seek medical attention and says the department is “taking immediate steps to determine the source and protect the people who live and work in Morris Park.”

She says the department is taking immediate steps to determine the source and protect the people who live and work in Morris Park.

NY1 will continue to follow this developing story.”

We’ll continue to keep on top of this issue which we’ve been hammering at since first announced in July.

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Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.