Two people have died due to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in New York.

In New York, two people have died as a result of an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease (also known as Pittsburgh pneumonia). Since mid-July, the New York City Department of Health has reported 31 cases of influenza in the south Bronx.

Legionnaire disease is a respiratory bacterial infection that usually spreads through fog that comes from a water source, such as a cooling tower, air conditioner, or shower. It is not transmitted from person to person.

Symptoms of the disease include fever, chills and cough. Most people recover, but between five and thirty percent of patients die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We are conducting an investigation to determine the source of the outbreak and prevent future cases. I urge anyone experiencing symptoms to seek immediate medical attention,” said Dr. Mary Bassett, spokeswoman for the New York City Department of Health.

In 2012, two people died from an outbreak in Chicago. An estimated eight to eighteen thousand cases of hospitalization with Legionnaire’s disease occur in the United States each year.