A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has infected 72 people and resulted in three deaths. New York City health officials reported the third death as the number of new cases continues to decline.
The first two deaths were announced on Friday and Saturday. City officials did not provide information regarding the identities, ages, or specific details on how those individuals fell ill. Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin expressed heartbreak and offered condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives.
While officials have not pinpointed a specific source for the current outbreak, they believe the source of exposure to Legionella bacteria has likely been eliminated due to a sustained decline in new cases. Testing has focused on cooling towers within the air conditioning systems of large buildings, and property owners have been ordered to drain and disinfect towers that returned positive results.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by bacteria that thrive in warm, stagnant water. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the illness is treatable, though 10% of people die from complications. This outbreak follows a similar event in New York’s Harlem neighborhood last year, which sickened more than 100 people and caused seven deaths.