Legionnaires' cases reported at 2 Bronx centers

Two cases of Legionnaires' disease have been reported at the Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center on Kingsbridge Road.
It comes after the Hebrew Home in Riverdale discovered that five residents were infected with the legionella bacteria last month. Doctors at the Hebrew Home say the infected patients were immediately placed on a 10-day antibiotic regimen.
The city Department of Health released a statement saying, "In 2015, the New York state Department of Health adopted first-in-the-nation inspection regulations which include routine testing of potable water systems in general hospitals and residential healthcare facilities where 57% of legionellosis cases originate and which account for 85% of legionellosis-related fatalities. Consistent with the department's experience and relevant research, current regulations are focused on the sources of legionella which pose the highest risk to New York residents."
In New York, between 200 and 800 cases of Legionnaires' disease are diagnosed annually, usually during the summer and early fall, although it can happen any time of year.