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Death toll of NY Legionnaires'outbreak rises to 12

Xinhua, August 11, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two more New York City residents died of Legionnaires'disease Monday, New York City's mayor said, bringing the death toll to 12 in the largest Legionnaires' outbreak in the city's history.

Some 113 people have been infected with the disease, and more than 40 have been hospitalized, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.

The city will implement new regulations for its water system to curb the disease as the death toll continues to rise.

The new regulations include "new registration, maintenance and inspection requirements for cooling towers," de Blasio said.

The two most recent deaths came after de Blasio's recent remarks at the weekend that the outbreak had been contained.

"We can say with confidence that this outbreak has been contained," the mayor said Saturday, reassuring the public that the illness is on the wane.

Health officials stressed that Legionnaires'disease is not contagious and is treatable with antibiotics. They also said the dead were all older adults with underlying health issues.

Legionnaires'disease, or Legionellosis, is a common type of pneumonia caused by a bacterium called Legionella, which is spread through water droplets that are inhaled. Symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. Endi