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One person dies amid legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City
The Guardian • • health
Key Points:
- A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City’s Upper East Side has resulted in the first death, with at least 67 people infected and dozens hospitalized.
- Health officials are investigating the source, focusing on air-conditioning systems and cooling towers atop many large buildings, which can harbor the Legionella bacteria.
- Tests have found Legionella bacteria in cooling towers on over 75 buildings, including museums, schools, and luxury apartments, all of which have been ordered to clean and disinfect their systems.
- Legionnaires’ disease is a treatable form of pneumonia that kills about 10% of patients and spreads through inhaling contaminated water droplets, not person-to-person.
- The outbreak began to be tracked on July 2, following two initial infections, with ongoing efforts to identify the exact source of contamination.
