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A total of seven cases have been confirmed with one “suspected” case still being investigated, the New Jersey Department of Health said in a Thursday release.
The cases — which are treatable with antibiotics but have an incubation period of up to two weeks — were reported between Nov. 9 and Dec. 21.
Legionnaire’s disease can occur when a person inhales aerosolized water — typically from cooling towers, hot tubs, plumbing systems, decorative fountains, or cooling misters — contaminated with the bacteria Legionella.
Officials did not disclose which towns are included in the outbreak, however, the towns in the area are Clifton, East Rutherford, Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Glen Rock, Hawthorne, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, North Haledon, Oakland, Passaic, Paterson, Pompton Lakes, Ridgewood, Ringwood, Rutherford, Wanaque, Wallington, Wayne, and Wyckoff.
Passaic County officials tell NorthJersey.com that the investigation was centered in Wayne.
“The risk of Legionnaires’ disease among any resident of, or recent visitor to, either Passaic or Bergen County is low,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Department recommends that individuals who live or work in these counties who become ill with pneumonia-like/respiratory symptoms, such as fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle aches, and headache visit their healthcare provider immediately to be evaluated.”
For more information, visit the NJDOH website.
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