Upper East Side cooling towers testing positive for Legionella more than double
City health officials say 45 additional Upper East Side buildings have tested positive for Legionella, bringing the total to 76, and have ordered remediation to contain the outbreak that has sickened 60 people.
The New York City health department announced Tuesday that 45 more Upper East Side buildings have tested positive for Legionella bacteria in their cooling towers, raising the total number of affected sites to 76. The new list adds to the 31 locations reported last week and covers towers in ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075.
Owners of the affected properties have been ordered to drain, clean and disinfect the towers. As of Tuesday, 57 owners had completed the required remediation, and 19 more were instructed to finish by Thursday.
"There is no additional risk associated with being inside one of these buildings," said Dr. Alister Martin, the city health commissioner.
The outbreak has so far resulted in 60 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease, with 49 hospitalizations and no deaths reported. City data show new diagnoses have declined since a peak on July 6, and officials expect the trend to continue as remediation progresses.
The department noted that initial testing of cooling towers in the three ZIP codes is complete and no further positive results are anticipated, though additional testing may be needed to pinpoint the source of the outbreak. Legionella can proliferate in stagnant water within cooling systems and become airborne when the towers operate.
Buildings that have completed remediation include several addresses on Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, Park Avenue and various East streets. A separate list details properties that must finish remediation by Thursday, as well as an unregistered tower that has already been cleaned.