One Death Reported in Upper East Side Legionnaires’ Disease Cluster; 76 Cooling Towers Remediated as Cases Reach 67

New York City health officials announced Friday that one person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The number of confirmed cases reached 67 as of Thursday night, up from 63 the previous day. Twelve people remain hospitalized and 43 have been discharged after treatment.

Investigators linked the cluster to Legionella pneumophila bacteria found in cooling towers on 76 Upper East Side buildings and one on the Upper West Side. Owners of the 76 buildings confirmed they completed required remediation by draining, cleaning and disinfecting the equipment. The cluster is concentrated in ZIP codes 10128, 10028 and 10075.

City officials began tracking the outbreak on July 2 after two initial cases. Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said in a statement, “I am saddened to report that one person has died in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease community cluster on the Upper East Side.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria that spreads through contaminated water droplets. It is not transmitted person to person. Officials urged anyone who has been in the affected area since late June and develops symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath to contact a health care provider immediately.

Last year a similar cluster in Harlem sent 92 people to the hospital and killed seven. In May the city enacted a law requiring more frequent cooling-tower inspections and higher fines for non-compliance.