Lawsuit blames construction company for Legionnaires’ disease outbreak

NYC Legionnaire's latest: 12 cooling towers test positive for live bacteria, 92 cases confirmed

Twelve cooling towers have tested positive for live bacteria in 10 buildings. Eleven of these towers have been sanitized and treated, and the last will be completed on Aug. 15. FOX 5 NY's Antwan Lewis has the latest.

HARLEM - A new lawsuit is accusing a construction company of neglecting to clean stormwater from the cooling towers behind the deadly Legionnaire's disease outbreak in Harlem, according to a spokesperson for attorney Ben Crump.

Lawsuit against 

What we know:

President of the National Action Network Rev. Sharpton and civil rights and personal injury attorney Crump will hold a press conference tomorrow, August 20, to announce the lawsuit.

Crump has been retained by construction workers who were hospitalized after contracting Legionnaire's disease in late July after working in Harlem.

The outbreak of the disease has led to, as of August 19, 108 confirmed cases and five deaths. Over a dozen people have been hospitalized after contracting the disease.

New York City health officials have identified 12 cooling towers in 10 buildings in central Harlem that tested positive for Legionella bacteria.

Health officials have confirmed that the outbreak was caused by these contaminated cooling towers. The disease reportedly spreads through water vapor or mist from cooling towers and does not affect normal water sources. 

The lawsuit alleges that the cooling towers at Harlem Hospital and other nearby buildings were filled with rainwater after several large storms in July. The water was allegedly left untreated, which permitted the bacteria to spread, according to a press release.

City officials found traces of the disease in the buildings' cooling towers, which use water and a fan to keep large buildings cool.

City health officials, however, have not revealed why the outbreak began at these cooling towers.

What is Legionnaires' disease?

Dig deeper:

Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease are similar to other types of pneumonia and usually develop between 2 and 14 days after exposure, but it is not usually spread from person to person, rather contracted from the source of the mist or water vapor that contains the bacteria. Symptoms can include a high fever, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and shortness of breath. In some cases, patients may also experience confusion, nausea, or diarrhea.