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Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City grows to 46 cases
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • health
Key Points:
- A Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City's Upper East Side neighborhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville has grown to 46 confirmed cases, with at least 22 hospitalizations and no deaths reported.
- Health officials believe the likely source of the outbreak is a contaminated cooling tower in the area, and all local cooling towers are being tested for Legionella bacteria.
- Residents are advised that there is no problem with the plumbing systems, and it is safe to use tap water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and air conditioning.
- New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced plans to publicly identify suspected buildings and require rapid cleaning of cooling towers to control the outbreak.
- Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by inhaling Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water environments; the disease is not typically spread person-to-person but can be fatal, especially for vulnerable populations.
