The Legionnaires' disease cluster in Manhattan's Upper East Side has claimed the lives of nine people, exceeding the death toll from a similar outbreak in Harlem last year, health officials announced Friday. Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin stated that two individuals who were diagnosed weeks ago have died, bringing the total number of fatalities.
"We mourn each loss, and our hearts are with their loved ones," Martin said in a statement. City Council Speaker Julie Menin echoed the sentiment, expressing sadness at the additional deaths and confirming that one of the newly reported fatalities was a previously identified case reclassified as connected to the cluster.
According to the Department of Health, the source of the Upper East Side outbreak has been identified and eliminated, and residents are no longer considered at increased risk of exposure. One person remains hospitalized, and there have been no new confirmed cases or reported symptoms in over three weeks. The health department plans to continue analyzing samples from cooling towers and patients.
This summer's outbreak has now surpassed the seven deaths recorded during last year's Harlem Legionnaires' disease outbreak. In August, families and survivors of the 2025 Harlem cluster filed lawsuits against the city, demanding action from Mayor Zohran Mamdani amid the ongoing Upper East Side outbreak. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton announced three lawsuits, including a wrongful death claim for five individuals who died in the Harlem cluster. Crump urged the city to resolve the matter with affected families, stating, "These are people who were injured, are killed as a result of this negligence, and the survivors and the families of the deceased deserve to have this matter resolved."