New York City health officials have identified more than 40 additional buildings whose cooling towers have tested positive for Legionella bacteria, the pathogen responsible for Legionnaires' disease. This brings the total number of affected buildings to 76. As of Tuesday, 63 cases of the disease have been reported, with 12 individuals currently hospitalized.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia contracted by breathing in aerosolized water containing the bacteria. It can be fatal in approximately 10% of cases. The outbreak was suspected earlier this month, with the first case recorded on June 27.
Expansion of Affected Buildings
The newly identified buildings are located in the Upper East Side, Yorkville, and Carnegie Hill areas of Manhattan, primarily within zip codes 10128, 10029, 10075, and 10028. Among the notable locations added to the list are The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Spence School, the Guggenheim Museum, a building housing a Whole Foods Market, and Gracie Towers, a residential building near the mayor's official residence. Most other addresses are residential buildings.
City health officials have ordered all buildings with positive test results for Legionella bacteria in their cooling towers to clean and disinfect them immediately, a measure taken out of an abundance of caution. While these initial tests identify the presence of the bacteria, further testing is being conducted to determine if live Legionella bacteria were present at the time of sampling. These more in-depth results are expected to take up to two weeks.
Understanding Legionnaires' Disease
Legionella bacteria thrive in warm, damp environments. Common sources include air conditioning systems, hot tubs, and plumbing systems in large buildings. The bacteria can become airborne in water vapor and then be inhaled by people, leading to infection. It does not spread from person to person.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include headache, muscle aches, fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. In severe cases, it can lead to pneumonia and sepsis. Antibiotics can treat the disease, particularly when administered in its early stages.
Individuals over 50, smokers, those with chronic lung conditions, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness. Nationwide, Legionnaires' disease cases have increased significantly over the past two decades, rising from approximately 1,100 cases in 2000 to over 8,000 annually. New York City typically records between 300 and 600 cases each year.
Last year, an outbreak in Harlem linked to 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings resulted in seven deaths and sickened 114 people. Health officials stated that it remains safe to use air conditioners and cooling centers in the affected zip codes, and there is no additional risk from showering or drinking tap water within these buildings.