A Manhattan-based nursing home is fighting an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, resulting in an investigation into eight possible cases and four deaths, including two who were confirmed to have the disease, The New York Times reported Sept. 14.
It was not clear if Legionnaires’ was the primary cause of their death, a spokesman for the New York State Department of Health told the New York Times. The department has been investigating the outbreak since June.
Amsterdam Nursing Home has not yet determined the source of the infections but water restrictions have been placed in the facility's west wing where the people with suspected cases lived, Jeff Jacomowitz, the spokesman for the nursing home, said.
Legionella, a bacterium that causes the disease, can be spread through mist or vapor which might come from cooling towers, showers or hot tubs. The disease is seldom spread from person to person, according to the city health department.