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6th person dies from Legionnaires' disease in New York City: Health officials
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • general
Key Points:
- A sixth person has died in connection with a Legionnaires' disease outbreak on New York City's Upper East Side, with at least 90 cases identified since the cluster began.
- No new cases have been reported since July 17, and six people remain hospitalized while 65 have been discharged.
- Dozens of cooling towers testing positive for Legionella bacteria have been cleaned and disinfected, and city health officials believe the source of the bacteria has been eliminated.
- Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by inhaling Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water and can contaminate building water systems but typically do not spread person to person.
- The disease's prevalence has increased over the past decade, with some patients, especially those immunocompromised or with chronic lung conditions, at risk for fatal complications despite antibiotic treatment.
