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1 dead in Upper East Side Legionnaires' outbreak
Gothamist • • health
Key Points:
- A person has died in the Upper East Side Legionnaires' disease outbreak, marking the first reported death among at least 67 diagnosed cases, with 12 hospitalizations as of Thursday night.
- Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria found in building water systems, which can be fatal but is treatable if caught early.
- The city Health Department has ordered 76 buildings, including the Guggenheim Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art, to clean and disinfect their cooling towers, all of which have complied.
- Investigations are ongoing to identify the outbreak's source, and health officials urge anyone with flu-like symptoms in the area to seek immediate medical care.
- City officials expressed condolences to the deceased's family and emphasized the importance of community health and safety amid the outbreak.
