All articles tagged with #legionnaires
A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the South Bronx has killed one person and infected four others, with the NYC Health Department investigating a potential cluster in Melrose and Morrisania; five cases had been diagnosed as of Thursday and officials planned to check nearby cooling towers, following a separate Manhattan outbreak that killed 11 earlier.
New York City health officials confirmed a seventh death from the Upper East Side Legionnaires’ outbreak, with five patients still hospitalized; no new cases have been reported since July 21. The cluster has sickened 92 people, with 82 cooling towers testing positive as of Wednesday, and more than 180 towers tested overall. City inspectors have issued 110 violations, including to 300 East 83rd Street for failing to register its cooling tower. The outbreak mirrors Harlem’s 2025 toll of seven deaths and spurred a law requiring cooling-tower inspections every 30 days; all identified towers have since been cleaned and disinfected.
The Franklin County Health Department has confirmed several cases of Legionnaires’ disease. Legionella bacteria are present in water systems and do not spread person-to-person. Officials are collaborating with state health agencies to identify a common source, while advising the public to reduce risk by cleaning water-mist devices, keeping water heaters at 140°F, and flushing and maintaining water systems.
NYC's Legionella season centers on cooling-tower bacteria; spread is via inhaled mist, not drinking water, with Legionella detected in cooling towers of 76 buildings and 63 hospitalizations (no deaths) to date. Mitigation involves draining/drying/retreating towers, rapid testing, and disclosure by buildings, plus ongoing monitoring. Most people won’t get sick, but older adults, smokers, and those with chronic illnesses should take precautions (e.g., masking near affected blocks). Climate-change-linked heat may worsen growth, but city officials say outbreaks are manageable with proper vigilance and transparency.
New York City is contending with a Legionnaires' disease outbreak linked to cooling towers, with 46 cases and about 22 hospitalizations. The health department has launched an aggressive effort to test the area’s water towers and requires buildings to disinfect cooling towers after any positive test. Residents are advised to monitor for symptoms and seek care if needed; officials note masking and keeping windows closed may help in the epicenter, and warming temperatures could worsen future outbreaks.
Gothamist mapped 203 active cooling towers in Carnegie Hill/Yorkville—the outbreak zone—and found the health department has identified 160 in the same area. About 55% of towers had Legionella test results filed in 2026, with roughly half not inspected for more than a year, mirroring citywide inspection gaps. Mayor Zohran Mamdani pledged to publish the locations of towers testing positive as results become available. Officials aim to inspect all nearly 5,000 towers citywide at least once annually, but staffing shortages hinder progress. The outbreak has sickened 36 people with 22 hospitalized; cooling towers can spread Legionella via mist, so residents with flu-like symptoms near affected towers should seek medical care.
New York City's Health Department reports 23 confirmed Legionnaires' disease cases linked to contaminated cooling towers on Manhattan's Upper East Side, with 17 hospitalizations and no deaths. The illness resembles pneumonia and is contracted via inhaling contaminated water droplets, not by person-to-person spread. Early diagnosis and antibiotics are key; there is no vaccine, and prevention focuses on building water-management measures to curb Legionella growth.
New York City health officials say a cluster of 10 Legionnaires’ disease cases has emerged on the Upper East Side (Carnegie Hill and Yorkville). The first two cases were confirmed Thursday, with cases rising to 10 by Friday; all cooling towers in the area are being tested and officials say the outbreak is not linked to drinking water or plumbing, so tap water remains safe. Legionnaires’ is a form of pneumonia contracted from inhaling contaminated water vapor. Health officials urge anyone with flu-like symptoms, especially those 50+, smokers, or with chronic lung conditions, to seek care and call 311 for help finding a provider.
The UK Health Security Agency is investigating a rise in Legionnaires' disease in north-west and south-west London to determine if cases are linked and identify possible sources, with case-by-case interviews and checks of large water systems; cooling towers and large water systems are being instructed to treat with high-dose chlorine.