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Officials search for source of Upper East Side Legionnaires' outbreak linked to 36 cases
ABC7 New York • • general
Key Points:
- New York City health officials have confirmed 36 cases of Legionnaires' disease linked to an outbreak on the Upper East Side, with 22 people hospitalized across three ZIP codes including Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, and Lenox Hill.
- The disease is believed to be spreading through contaminated mist from cooling towers, not from inside buildings or plumbing systems, and city officials plan to release the exact addresses of affected cooling towers soon.
- Testing of cooling towers is expected to be completed by the end of the week, but identifying the specific source of the outbreak may take weeks, with transparency emphasized to help residents stay informed.
- Health experts note that Legionnaires' disease is not spread person-to-person, most healthy individuals are unlikely to get sick, but the elderly, smokers, and those with health issues face higher risks, including death in about 10% of cases.
- Residents experiencing flu-like or pneumonia symptoms are urged to seek medical attention, and officials anticipate the number of confirmed cases to rise as investigations continue.
