WILLOWBROOK — A resident of a Staten Island assisted living facility has been diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, officials said.
The city said the person lived at The Brielle at Seaview, at 140 Friendship Lane. City officials said the infection was reported to the Department of Health within the last 12 months, but spokesman Christopher Miller would not be more specific on the date. Tests to find the source were currently being carried out, he added.
"While the risk of infection to other residents is very low, as part of routine protocol to assess potential sources of Legionella, the Health Department is working with the facility's management to test the building’s water supply," said Miller in a statement.
"Residents in this facility have been notified of the investigation and given relevant information about the disease and next steps."
The patient has been discharged from the hospital, officials said.
A spokesman for The Brielle at Seaview said in a statement that no other residents were diagnosed with the disease and they don't believe the infected water originated at the site.
He said The Brielle will install new showerheads to filter out the Legionella bacteria and notified residents, their families and staff about the case.
"We remain vigilant and will continue to keep our residents, our staff and families of residents updated on the situation," the statement said.
There are between 200 to 400 cases of the disease reported around the city every year, officials said.
Last year, an outbreak in the South Bronx killed 12 people and sickened more than 120.
It was traced to cooling towers and the city later passed a law to register and inspect the towers quarterly.
The DOH said The Brielle doesn't have any cooling towers.
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia that can be caught by breathing in water vapor contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. It can't be transmitted from one infected person to another person and can be treated with antibiotics, officials said.
► READ MORE: What is Legionnaires' Disease?
Brielle residents with compromised immune systems can take the following precautions to avoid the disease, according to the city:
► Don’t shower, since it could create water vapor. Instead, take a bath, filling the tub slowly and minimizing your time in the bathroom while it's being filled.
► Washing dishes is fine, but fill the sink slowly so mist isn't created.
► Start with cold water to heat water for tea, coffee or cooking.
► You don't need to wear a mask and it's important to keep washing your hands.
