NEW YORK — A Legionnaires' disease outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side has claimed its first reported death, New York City health officials said, as investigators continued working to identify the source of the cluster that has sickened at least 67 people since early July.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said the person who died had been linked to the community outbreak but released no identifying details, citing privacy concerns. Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin expressed condolences to the individual's family and said the department would not provide additional personal information.
As of Thursday night, city officials had confirmed 67 cases associated with the outbreak. Twelve patients remained hospitalized, while dozens of others who had required hospital treatment had since been discharged, according to the health department.
The outbreak has been concentrated in the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods of the Upper East Side. Officials began investigating on July 2 after identifying an apparent community cluster and have focused on cooling towers atop large buildings, which can release water droplets containing Legionella bacteria if contaminated.
City authorities said testing detected either living or dead Legionella bacteria in cooling towers at more than 75 buildings in the affected area, including museums, schools and residential properties. Building owners were ordered to drain, clean and disinfect the systems, and officials said the required remediation had been completed. Investigators have not determined which, if any, of the contaminated towers caused the outbreak.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. The illness is not spread from person to person and is generally treatable with antibiotics, particularly when diagnosed early. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 10 people who develop Legionnaires' disease die from the infection, with older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems at greater risk.
The health department continues to urge anyone who has lived, worked or spent time in the affected area since late June and develops symptoms including fever, cough or difficulty breathing to seek medical evaluation promptly. Officials said the investigation remains active as they work to determine the precise source of the outbreak and monitor for additional cases.
