4 dead as Legionnaires' disease continues to spread in NYC

(WPIX) – A fourth person has died amid an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Harlem, health officials in New York City confirmed.

The outbreak had sickened at least 99 people as of Thursday, 17 of whom were hospitalized, officials said.

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread through building water systems. The city's outbreak has been linked to cooling towers, which use water and a fan to cool buildings.

Health officials disclosed Thursday that 12 cooling towers within Harlem buildings tested positive for the bacteria. Those affected include Harlem Hospital, a city health clinic, a popular retail center on 125th Street, a CUNY college science building and the Harlem condo center on Lenox Avenue.

Health officials said all cooling towers in those areas have been cleaned.

Nichole Ingram, who was among the first to contract the disease in late July, said she is still suffering from symptoms and that her 35-year-old son is still hospitalized after almost dying from it.

“He did not flatline, but he came very close to it,” she said. “They had to intubate him; he had a life-saving machine.”

People usually develop symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease around two to 14 days after being exposed. People often get the disease by inhaling mist from contaminated water, but it is not spread from person to person. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches and coughing.

Dr. Michelle Morse, the city's acting health commissioner, said new cases in the Central Harlem outbreak have begun to decline “which indicates that the sources of the bacteria have been contained.”

Anyone living in Central Harlem who has these symptoms is encouraged to call a doctor immediately.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.