There were 12 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in downtown Flushing in the past two weeks, the city Department of Health said Tuesday.
Five people remained hospitalized and seven were released from the hospital, the department said. Two other people were being tested for the disease. The patients range from in their 30s to in their 80s, the department said.
Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in water vapor containing the bacteria and most cases can be traced back to plumbing systems.
The DOH has taken water samples from cooling towers in the area to test for Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease. The process to test for the bacteria will take multiple weeks.
People in the downtown Flushing area who show any symptoms, including a fever, cough, muscle aches or fatigue, should tell their doctor, the department said.
“People over the age of 50 and people with compromised immune systems are especially at risk,” Dr. Mary T. Bassett, New York City health commissioner, said in a statement.
The disease is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics.
There are between 200 and 400 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the city every year, the DOH said. There were two cases of the disease, one fatal, in Forest Hills in September, officials said.
