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NYC Legionnaires’ update: 50 buildings test bacteria-positive
NBC New York • • health
Key Points:
- More than a dozen additional Upper East Side buildings have been identified with cooling towers testing positive for live Legionella bacteria, expanding the list from an initial 33 addresses.
- The health department emphasized that the presence of bacteria at these sites does not necessarily indicate the source of the current Legionnaires' outbreak.
- The outbreak has resulted in five confirmed deaths and 84 total cases, with most patients hospitalized and subsequently discharged; daily new cases have declined sharply since July 7.
- Officials believe the source of exposure has been eliminated, as no new cases have been reported since July 15, and all contaminated cooling towers have been fully cleaned.
- The health department will continue updating the list of affected addresses as new test results become available and is maintaining transparency through regular public updates.
