A Legionnaires' disease outbreak in New York City's Upper East Side neighborhood has resulted in the first reported death, health officials announced Friday.
At least 67 people have been infected and dozens have been hospitalized in connection with the outbreak, according to data from the city's Health Department. Officials have not released further details about the deceased individual, including their age or the timeline of their illness. Investigators are actively working to identify the specific source of the bacteria.
The outbreak began to be tracked by city officials on July 2, after the initial two cases were reported in the area. While the exact source remains under investigation, scrutiny has focused on the air conditioning systems of large buildings, which can aerosolize water vapor containing the Legionella bacteria.
Tests have detected either living or dead Legionella bacteria in cooling towers across more than 75 buildings in the Upper East Side. These buildings include cultural institutions, private schools, and residential complexes. All identified buildings have been instructed to clean, drain, and disinfect their cooling towers, which are devices used for cooling large structures.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water sources like cooling towers, hot tubs, and showerheads. Transmission typically occurs through inhaling contaminated water droplets, and the disease does not spread from person to person. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that Legionnaires' disease is treatable but has a fatality rate of approximately 10%.
This is not the first Legionnaires' disease outbreak in the city; in the previous year, an outbreak in Harlem sickened over 100 people and led to seven deaths.