Sixth Fatality Reported in New York City Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak

A sixth person has died in New York City in connection with a cluster of Legionnaires' disease on the Upper East Side, health officials said Tuesday. The city health department reported that at least 90 cases have been identified, though no new cases have been diagnosed since July 17. Six patients remain hospitalized while 65 have been discharged since the outbreak began. Dozens of cooling towers that tested positive for live Legionella bacteria have been cleaned and disinfected, and the department said it is confident the source has been eliminated. Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling aerosolized water contaminated with Legionella bacteria, which thrive in warm water systems such as cooling towers, hot water tanks and plumbing fixtures. The bacteria are not typically spread from person to person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the disease has risen over the past decade, peaking in 2018, and while most patients recover with antibiotics, those with weakened immune systems or chronic lung conditions face higher risk of fatal complications.