NEW YORK, NY — The city has declared the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak over in the South Bronx, but a New York Legionnaires’ attorney says it is not over for those who were sickened by, or whose loved ones died from, the disease.

On September 30, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced that the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak is officially over in the neighborhoods of Morrisania and Melrose, encompassing ZIP Codes 10451, 10455, 10456 and 10459. They cited no new cases and the infected cooling towers having already been cleaned as the reasons why the outbreak ended.

As of September 29, twenty-three people have tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease, with 21 hospitalized and two who passed away from the disease, according to the agency. In addition, 24 cooling tower systems were tested for the Legionella bacteria. Of those, 10 tested positive for the bacteria in initial testing and seven tested positive, confirming the presence of live Legionella bacteria; all of them have been cleaned and disinfected. In total, 17 cooling towers tested negative.

Ron Katter of The Katter Law Firm said the aftereffects of the outbreak will still remain long after the city’s declaration.

“The city made a premature announcement declaring the outbreak over,” said Mr. Katter, who is currently representing two clients who were sickened by the disease. “This is the same mistake they made with the Upper East Side outbreak. They still haven’t determined the source of the disease and, for those who are still infected, those who lost their loved ones and patients who remain hospitalized, it will never be over.”

Mr. Katter is available for interviews about the South Bronx Legionella discovery, the risks posed to residents of apartment buildings and senior housing, building owners’ responsibilities, cooling tower safety, and what residents should do if they believe they have been exposed to Legionella.

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Media Resource: Ronald J. Katter, “The Legionnaires’ Lawyer”
Since 2015, attorney Ronald J. Katter has been at the forefront of New York City’s Legionnaires’ disease crisis, recovering millions of dollars for dozens of individuals sickened by preventable outbreaks. As a trusted media contributor, he regularly provides live commentary and sharp legal analysis on complex public health litigation for The New York Times, ABC, CBS, WPIX, 1010 WINS, and the New York Post. To see Mr. Katter’s media appearances, please visit his website at https://www.katterlaw.com/firm-news/.

On-Call for Breaking News: Mr. Katter is available on short notice for in-person, remote broadcast, or telephone interviews regarding current and ongoing New York City outbreaks.

For more information, visit https://www.katterlaw.com.