First Fatality Reported in Upper East Side Legionnaires' Outbreak
City health officials confirmed the first death linked to the Legionnaires' disease cluster that has infected at least 67 people on Manhattan's Upper East Side.
A person has died in the Upper East Side Legionnaires' disease outbreak, marking the first fatality in a cluster that has infected at least 67 individuals, health officials said Friday. Twelve of those patients were hospitalized as of Thursday night, according to the city Health Department.
Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin expressed sympathy for the deceased's family and urged residents and recent visitors who experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches or cough to seek medical care promptly.
Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, can develop in building water systems and spread through mist from cooling towers. While potentially fatal, the infection is treatable with antibiotics when diagnosed early.
The Health Department has ordered 76 buildings in the affected area to clean and disinfect their cooling towers; all have reported completion of the work. The Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art were among the facilities whose cooling systems tested positive for the bacteria. Investigators continue to seek the outbreak's source.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, representing the Upper East Side, said the death was tragic and emphasized the need to keep the community's health and safety a priority.