CITY HALL — All cooling towers in the city must be inspected and disinfected within 14 days following an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has now killed 10 people and sickened 100 others in the South Bronx.
"We want to know that all of the cooling towers in the city are in good maintenance," said city Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.
The move is the latest from Mayor Bill de Blasio in response to the worst outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in city history. Next week, the city will introduce legislation that requires all cooling towers to be inspected and cleaned regularly.
De Blasio said those inspection requirements are not currently in place because the city has never before had to deal with an outbreak of this magnitude. In fact, the city is unaware of which buildings have cooling towers, including its own municipal buildings.
The city is conducting a survey of its own buildings to find out which have cooling towers.
"We wish we had a perfect list," said Bassett.
The penalty for failing to comply with the city's orders is a misdemeanor charge that could result in civil and criminal penalties.
The focus on cooling towers comes because the city believes the outbreak, which started in the South Bronx and remains there, is linked to five cooling towers at Lincoln Hospital, Concourse Plaza, the Opera House Hotel, a Verizon office building and Streamline Plastic Co. where the legionella bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was found. Those five towers have since been cleaned, according to the city.
Cooling towers circulate water to cool air conditioning equipment and is separate from the drinking supply of water. As the water is heated and cooled it can spread as a mist in the air, thereby spreading legionella bacteria if the tank is contaminated.
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The systems are mostly contained in commercial or industrial buildings, not residential structures.
The city contends the outbreak began July 10 and officials believe one or more of the five cooling towers is the source. Seventeen cooling towers in the South Bronx have been inspected so far and the city is continuing to look for others in the cluster area.
DNAinfo New York reported exclusively Thursday that a city teacher who worked near the cluster area died of the disease in April and the city didn't investigate.
Of the 100 people that have been sickened, 92 people have been hospitalized, 53 of whom have been treated and released, Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris said.
The death toll and number of infected residents may continue to rise as the disease has a 10-day incubation period, officials said.
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City officials say the 10 people who died have all had underlying medical conditions or other factors that make one susceptible Legionnaires' Disease, such as age. South Bronx residents suffer from asthma and HIV/AIDS at a high rate, making them more susceptible to the bacteria, city officials said.
De Blasio said the city has been in close contact with the state about the Legionnaires' outbreak.
In a statement, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state has been providing all the testing the city has done for the bacteria. The state health commissioner also met Thursday with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, who has called for the state to step in.
Cuomo also said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has agreed to send a team at his request.
"This is primarily a health crisis and must be handled as such," Cuomo said. "But at the same time, we must address the needs and fears of our citizens to make sure they understand that the matter is under control."
