Legionnaires’ Outbreak Rises To 90 Cases In Harlem, Officials To Host Emergency Town Hall

HARLEM, NY — In response to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem that has killed three residents and sickened 90 others, local officials are hosting a virtual town hall on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to answer questions and provide critical health information.

The town hall, which will be held over Zoom, is hosted by State Senator Cordell Cleare, in partnership with Community Boards 9, 10 and 11, which represent the area where cases are concentrated.

The outbreak of disease is in five ZIP codes: 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039.

Of the 90 people sickened by the disease, 17 of them are currently hospitalized, according to the latest city data.

In addition to elected officials, the town hall will feature members of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to answer questions and share prevention guidelines.

"As Chair of the Aging Committee, with a special concern for older New Yorkers, I want to give residents in my district the opportunity to ask their questions regarding this frightening outbreak," Cleare said.

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.

The disease spreads by inhaling contaminated vapor, but is not contagious from person-to-person, officials said.

The city first detected the outbreak on July 25, Patch previously reported.

Officials emphasized that the outbreak is not linked to any building’s plumbing system. Residents in the affected ZIP codes can safely drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook, and use air conditioning as usual.

"The hard part is that Legionnaires' disease presents very similarly to other forms of pneumonia, so symptoms, including fevers, chills, cloth, shortness of breath, muscle aches, can all be signs of Legionnaires' disease," Peter Collin, an internal medicine and infectious disease doctor at Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Health, told Patch.

"If people are experiencing those symptoms, they should be reaching out to their doctor right away."

Collin said people over the age of 50, and people that have chronic lung issues, are particularly at risk.

Register to attend the virtual meeting here.

To see the latest data on Legionnaires' disease, click here.

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