NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Federal and state health officers confirmed that an employee who works at the Lewiston Queenston Bridge tested positive for the disease.
The Niagara County Department of Health says a case of Legionnaires disease poses no danger to the public.
"We don't want people to be concerned. This is a naturally occurring thing, and we got this under control," Daniel Stapleton, director of Niagara County's health department, told 2 On Your Side.
It happens every year in Western New York. Legionnaires disease, a serious lung infection caused by legionella bacteria, affects Western New Yorkers. The Niagara County Public Health Director reported 15 cases of Legionnaires disease this year. The most recent case came from the Lewiston U.S. Port of Entry.
"The number one place where you start is making sure that they're doing the testing they are required to do. They're in compliance. They're taking immediate action," Stapleton said.
A statement from the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission confirmed that is underway, saying the identified water systems have been shut down. They also have temporary facilities and have provided drinking water while they evaluate the situation.
We're currently in the peak season for the disease.
Experts say it will last well into the beginning of fall. But it's smokers and people with compromised autoimmune systems who Dr. Alan Lesse with the University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine says are at higher risks.
"This is a pneumonia that is not passed from person to person. This is a type of pneumonia that results from exposure to some form of water," Dr. Lesse said.
It's warm water found in hot tubs, cooling towers, plumbing systems, and hot water tanks where the bacteria grows. According to the New York State Department of Health, The Empire State had the most legionnaire cases than any other state in 2020.
But until then, the source of legionnaires is under investigation at the Lewiston Bridge. And the Niagara County Public Health director says it's not a public health concern.