Yonkers officials have found bacteria responsible for causing Legionnaires' disease in a Riverside High School cooling tower. Jerilynne Fierstein, a spokeswoman for Yonkers school, announced only a few weeks before the school year is set to begin that a possible outbreak has forced the cancellation of the orientation of ninth-grade students on Friday and Thursday.

"The facility was closed immediately out of an abundance of caution to allow for the proper disinfecting and cleaning process to occur. Riverside was reopened today and the cooling tower does not pose any health risk to students, administrators, staff or other members of the public", Mayor Mike Spano said in a statement.

The Riverside High School in Yonkers is the only facility so far in Westchester County that has tested positive for the bacteria. No case of Legionnaires' disease has been reported as of now in Yonkers.

Twelve people in South Bronx have succumbed to the disease so far, with another 127 people affected. The symptoms exhibited by the sufferers are akin to the flu, including headache, fever, shortness of breath and a dry cough. These symptoms can appear 2-10 days after being exposed to the bacteria.

All owners of cooling towers, public spa pools and warm water systems are being strongly suggested by health experts to regularly maintain all of their equipment as a precautionary measure of Legionella contamination.

The bacteria are also found in soils and potting mixes. Experts advise people to wear face masks and gloves when they use compost and potting mix to ensure the bacteria does not spread.