The drug manufacturer’s plant produces inhaled medications. Additionally, roughly 400 of the 850 plant employees were told to stay away until the towers are cleaned.
The London-based company released a statement that the cooling tower “does not come into contact with product manufactured at the facility,” but did not respond to questions regarding any risk of indoor exposure to employees or medicines from water droplets that could carry the bacteria, according to the report.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing reports of the bacteria’s discovery.
The bacterium found at the plant — Legionella — is the same bacterium that has been linked to a recent deadly outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the South Bronx area of New York City.
More artcles on Legionnaires’ disease:
5 things to know about Legionnaires’ disease and the NYC outbreak
University Hospital patient dies from Legionnaires’ disease
NYC Legionnaires’ update: 10 dead, 108 sick, Mayor confident “outbreak has been contained”
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