Third Person Dies Amid Escalating Legionnaires’ Outbreak In NYC

NEW YORK CITY — A third death has been reported and nearly 70 people have fallen ill in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that began in New York City last week, officials confirmed Tuesday.

The city first detected the outbreak on July 25. As of the latest update from the NYC Health Department, 67 people have been diagnosed and three have died. That’s an increase from the previous day, when officials reported 58 cases and two deaths.

When the cluster was initially announced last week, there were just 22 confirmed cases and one death, Patch previously reported.

The cases are concentrated in five Central Harlem ZIP codes—10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039—according to the Health Department, which is now saying the outbreak is not expected to spread beyond the affected area.

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.

Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, is caused by bacteria called Legionella that thrive in warm water environments. Health officials have tested all cooling towers in the affected neighborhood and instructed owners of any buildings with positive results to begin cleanup efforts within 24 hours.

The Health Department urges anyone who has been in the area since late July and is experiencing symptoms like fever, cough, or difficulty breathing to seek medical care right away.