Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on NYC’s Upper East Side climbs to 14 cases
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The number of confirmed cases of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has risen to 14, New York City health officials said Sunday.
The cases are tied to ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075, which cover parts of the Upper East Side, including Yorkville and Carnegie Hill. At least one patient lives, works or recently visited the 10075 area, health officials said.
Officials are also urging anyone who spends time on the east side of Central Park, between East 76th Street and East 97th Street, to be wary of flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, chills and muscle aches.
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An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has brought the number of confirmed cases to 14, according to New York City health officials. (iStock)
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. “I want to thank the New York City Department of Health’s staff of epidemiologists, aquatic ecologists, community health workers, and many more who have spent the past several days working to keep New Yorkers on the Upper East Side informed and safe,” Alister F. Martin said in a statement.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. People can become infected by breathing in contaminated water droplets, and if not treated quickly, the disease can be dangerous or even fatal.
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The source of the epidemic is being investigated. Officials say they tested cooling towers in the affected area as a possible source, but no specific source has been identified.
Cooling towers, often found on rooftops, can release fog that carries Legionella bacteria. The Ministry of Health said all cooling towers in the affected area were tested.
The cluster was first announced on Thursday, when only two cases were confirmed. The field of research has expanded as more diseases have been reported.
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Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. (iStock)
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“With only two confirmed cases, we detected the cluster early and acted quickly and decisively, putting holiday plans aside to help our fellow New Yorkers move forward faster. We have more work to do in the coming days as we learn more about the source of exposure and confirmed cases,” Martin said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the outbreak was not linked to plumbing or building indoor air conditioning units and that residents can safely drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook and use their air conditioners in their homes.
Officials said they will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
“If you have been living, working, or visiting the area since late June and experiencing flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, or difficulty breathing, please contact a healthcare professional immediately,” Mamdani wrote to X.
An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem last summer has led to more than 100 confirmed illnesses. to FOX 5.
