The Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has grown to 14 confirmed cases, while city health officials continue working to identify the source of the infections.
As of Sunday, 14 people had been diagnosed with the potentially serious pneumonia-like illness in the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville areas, according to the New York City Health Department.
The latest total marks a sharp increase from Thursday, when officials first reported two confirmed cases in the Manhattan neighborhoods.
Health officials are urging anyone who has lived in, worked in, or visited the affected area since late June — including ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075 — to contact a healthcare provider if they experience symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other flu-like signs.
Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal if it is not treated promptly, but it is not spread from person to person. The illness, which is caused by Legionella bacteria, can be treated with antibiotics, the department said.
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said in a statement.
“New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke, or people with chronic lung conditions, should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin,” Martin added.
Officials believe the outbreak is likely tied to a cooling tower in the area that has been contaminated with Legionella bacteria, though they have not yet determined which tower is responsible. Cooling towers, often found on building rooftops, can release mist that carries the bacteria into the air.
Authorities have launched a probe into the outbreak and will sample and test all cooling towers in the area to assess the possible source.
The health department urged residents that the overall risk to the public remains low. It is safe to bathe, shower, cook, and use your air conditioner, especially as the Big Apple recovers from an extreme heat wave over the weekend.
A Legionnaires outbreak devastated Harlem last summer, sickening 114 people, resulting in 90 hospitalizations and seven deaths.
The Rev. Al Sharpton and lawyer Ben Crump previously claimed that up to 20 people — or nearly three times the official count — may have died during that outbreak due to misdiagnoses.
The City Council last fall approved a bill requiring building owners to test for Legionella microbes at least every month during warmer months when cooling towers are in use in response to the deadly outbreak.
There have been no deaths associated with the current cluster of Legionnaires’ cases, according to health officials.
Anyone searching for a healthcare provider, regardless of insurance or immigration status, can call 311 or 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692) for assistance.
