A fatality has occurred due to contracting Legionnaires’ disease, confirmed by health authorities on Friday. The investigation is ongoing to determine the origin of the outbreak in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, which has affected over 67 individuals, with many requiring hospitalization. The focus of scrutiny has been on the air conditioning systems of numerous tall buildings, as they can emit water vapor carrying the bacteria.
Details about the deceased individual have not been disclosed by officials, including their identity, age, or the circumstances surrounding their illness. Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, is treatable but has a mortality rate of approximately 10%, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the previous year, an outbreak in New York’s Harlem neighborhood resulted in seven fatalities and over 100 people falling ill.
The city authorities began monitoring the current outbreak on July 2 after two initial cases were identified in the area. Testing has revealed the presence of Legionella bacteria, responsible for the disease, in cooling towers of more than 75 buildings in the Upper East Side, including well-known museums, private schools, and upscale residential complexes.
Although it remains unclear which of these buildings contributed to the outbreak, all have been instructed to clean, drain, and disinfect their cooling towers. These towers are commonly used for cooling purposes in large buildings. Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by inhaling small water droplets containing the bacteria, usually in places like hotels, hospitals, or offices where the bacteria have contaminated the water supply. The risk of contracting the disease at home is lower.
