New York City Finds 76 Legionella-Positive Towers After 60 Upper East Side Cases
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 14
New York City Finds 76 Legionella-Positive Towers After 60 Upper East Side Cases
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 14
Summary
Sixty Legionnaires’ cases have been confirmed this month in three Upper East Side ZIP codes, with 15 people hospitalized and no deaths reported.
Tests found Legionella bacteria in cooling towers at 76 buildings out of 183 checked, prompting the city to order owners to drain, clean and disinfect the systems.
Fifty-seven buildings have completed remediation, while the remaining 19 must finish by Thursday as officials say the case rate appears to be slowing.
Health officials said the cluster is not linked to drinking water, showers or air conditioners, and the disease is not contagious but can still surface up to 14 days after exposure.
Additional testing to identify the exact source and determine whether bacteria are live or dead could take several weeks, even as the city acts before confirmatory cultures are complete.