Legionnaires' Outbreak Declared Over As 7th Death Confirmed In Harlem, Officials Say

HARLEM, NY — The Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Harlem that killed seven people and sickened more than 100 in the past month has been declared over, with no new cases since Aug. 9, Dr. Michelle Morse, the health commissioner for New York City, said on Friday morning.

As of Aug. 28, there have been seven deaths and 114 people sickened since the outbreak started on July 25. As of Aug. 28, six people are still in the hospital, but in the past month, more than 90 people have been hospitalized, Morse said.

Morse, in a press conference, said that while 12 buildings tested positive for the bacteria in their cooling towers, just two buildings were confirmed to be responsible for the outbreak using genetic testing.

The two buildings with contaminated cooling towers are NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, which is located at 506 Lenox Ave., and a construction site for a public health laboratory at 40 West 137th St. overseen by Skanska USA, contracted by New York City's Economic Development Corporation.

During the press conference, Morse said both buildings have had their cooling towers sanitized.

"We are working with both buildings to require them to develop long-term management programs to protect the health of Harlem residents," Morse said. "At the health department, we're doing everything we can to promote compliance by building owners with the requirements to minimize risk and avert future clusters."

Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, is caused by bacteria called Legionella that thrives in warm water environments, like cooling towers, which create cold air by cycling warm air through water, creating a warm, humid environment within the system.

City officials urge anyone who has been in the area since late July and is experiencing symptoms like fever, cough, muscle aches or difficulty breathing to seek medical care right away. To see the latest data on Legionnaires' disease, click here.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.

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