Legionnaires' cluster prompts cooling-tower probe on NYC's Upper East Side
NYC health officials are investigating a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in Carnegie Hill and Yorkville on the Upper East Side, with two confirmed cases and more potential cases awaiting testing. Residents who have been in the area since late June should seek medical care if they develop flu-like symptoms, as timely antibiotics are crucial. Legionnaires’ spreads via water systems, not person-to-person, so investigators will sample cooling towers and other sources and order remediation if any tests are positive. No deaths have been reported in this cluster, which follows Harlem’s much larger outbreak last year, and authorities note it remains safe to use air conditioning during the current heat wave.