2 dead, dozens sick in NYC Legionnaires’ disease outbreak
Two people have died and over 50 others are sick in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak linked to contaminated cooling towers in Harlem. Health officials urge at-risk residents to seek care if symptoms appear.
Legionella bacteria, magnified 8,000 times in this image and found in a cooling tower behind the RiverWalk Resort in Lincoln, N.H., has been linked to five cases of Legionnaires' disease in June and July, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. (File Photo by Janice Haney Carr/CDC)
Two people have died and at least 58 others have fallen ill in a growing outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Harlem, the New York City Health Department confirmed Monday.
The department initially reported one death and 22 cases last week. Since then, the number has more than doubled.
Officials say the cluster is linked to cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella pneumophila, the bacteria that causes the disease. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by inhaling water vapor containing the bacteria. It is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics if caught early. The outbreak is mostly contained to five zip codes across Central Harlem: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039. Remediation has been completed at all 11 towers where the bacteria were detected.
(Photo credit: Getty Images)
Health officials urge people in the affected ZIP codes—especially adults over 50, smokers, and those with lung or immune conditions—to seek care if they develop flulike symptoms such as cough, fever, or shortness of breath.
“Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a statement.
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