NYC Investigating a Cluster of Legionnaires’ Disease on the Upper East Side

What’s Happening Right Now?

New York City health officials are looking into a group of people getting sick with a disease called Legionnaires’ in two neighborhoods on the Upper East Side:

• Carnegie Hill and Yorkville (ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075).
• The number of sick people is going up every day, but no deaths have been reported yet.
• They believe the sickness is coming from at least one dirty (contaminated) cooling tower on top of a building.
• The area they are searching is a single square‑mile zone from East 74th Street to East 96th Street.

What is a cooling tower?
It’s a water‑based machine usually placed on a building’s roof that helps control the temperature of things like refrigerators. The city health department is testing all such towers in the area.

Important: Because this is not caused by a building’s plumbing (pipes), officials say it is safe to:

• Drink tap water
• Bathe, shower, and cook
• Use air conditioners (they cool with air, not water)

Also, you cannot catch the bacteria from another person.

What Should You Do If You Feel Sick?

If you live in or recently visited those neighborhoods and feel like you have the flu, follow these steps:

1. Watch for symptoms (explained below).
2. Contact a healthcare provider (doctor) as soon as possible.

Officials especially urge this for people with flu‑like signs.

What is Legionnaires’ Disease? (Explained Simply)

Imagine tiny invisible germs called bacteria (we call the specific kind Legionella). They love warm water and can grow in building water systems.

• It is a type of pneumonia – that’s just a fancy word for a lung infection.
• These germs can be found in places like:
  • Showerheads
  • Hot tubs
  • Cooling towers
• People often get sick by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water (like a mist).
• Some very sick hospital patients can get it from dirty water or ice, and babies can be exposed during water births (being born in water).

When do symptoms appear?
Usually 2 days to 2 weeks after breathing the germs. They include:

• Cough
• Fever
• Headaches
• Muscle aches
• Shortness of breath (trouble breathing)

Who is more likely to get very sick?
You have a higher risk if you:

• Are age 50 or older
• Smoke or vape
• Have a chronic lung disease (a long‑term sickness of the lungs)
• Have a weakened immune system (your body’s defense army is weak)

Why the name “Legionnaires’”?
It comes from an outbreak in 1976 at a meeting of the American Legion (a group for veterans) in Philadelphia.

Can It Be Deadly?

Yes, it can be serious.

• The CDC (a big U.S. health‑protecting agency) says about 1 in 10 people who get sick will die from complications (other body problems caused by the disease).
• For those who catch it in a healthcare facility (like a hospital), about 1 in 4 will die.
• That’s why it’s super important to be diagnosed quickly and treated with the right antibiotics (medicine that kills bacteria).

Important: If untreated, Legionnaires’ disease usually gets worse during the first week. Complications can include:

• Respiratory failure (lungs stop working well)
• Shock (body systems crash)
• Kidney or multiorgan failure (important organs stop working)

How Can We Prevent It?

For Building Owners / Managers

They can reduce the threat by stopping bacteria from growing:

• Regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers.
• Keep enough chlorine (a cleaning chemical) in spa pools.
• Flush (run water through) unused taps in buildings every week.

For You at Home (Simple Steps)

You can also lower your risk with these numbered steps:

1. Drain garden hoses so water doesn’t sit and get warm.
2. Follow the maker’s instructions for cleaning and replacing water filters.
3. Check chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs regularly.
4. Flush your hot water heater twice a year (let water run through it).

The Big Picture

• Legionnaires’ disease has become more common over the last decade.
• In the U.S., it peaked at 2.71 cases per 100,000 people in 2018 (per CDC data).
• Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID‑19 pandemic, then bounced back in 2021.

A Note from Health Officials

Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin spoke with a news anchor about this weekend’s edition of “Up Close.” You can watch part of the interview on Channel 7 and the full episode Sunday at 11 a.m. (ABC News contributed to this report.)

Stay Connected (From the Original Page)

The news team also shared ways to keep up with updates:

• Get Eyewitness News Delivered by signing up for newsletters.
• Read More New York City news online.
• Send a news tip through their form.
• Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts.
• Download their connected TV app for streaming.

Summary

To wrap up: NYC is investigating a rising number of Legionnaires’ disease cases in Upper East Side neighborhoods (Carnegie Hill and Yorkville) likely from a contaminated cooling tower on a building between East 74th and 96th Streets. No deaths yet. The disease is a lung infection caused by breathing tiny droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria; it is not spread person‑to‑person and tap water is safe. If you have flu‑like symptoms and are in the area, see a doctor quickly. Prevention includes cleaning building water systems and simple home steps. It can be fatal if untreated, so early antibiotics save lives. Stay informed through local news channels.

FAQ

Q1: Can I safely drink my tap water during this outbreak?
A: Yes! Officials confirm the issue is not in building plumbing. Drinking, bathing, cooking, and using air conditioners are all safe.

Q2: How do people actually catch Legionnaires’ disease?
A: Mostly by breathing in tiny mist droplets from contaminated water sources like cooling towers, showerheads, or hot tubs. You cannot get it from hugging or being near a sick person.

Q3: What are the early signs I should watch for?
A: Cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, and shortness of breath that show up 2 days to 2 weeks after possible exposure.

Q4: Who is most at risk of becoming very ill?
A: People 50 or older, smokers/vapers, those with long‑term lung sickness, and those with weak immune systems.

Q5: What can I do at home to protect my family?
A: Drain garden hoses, clean/replace water filters as instructed, check pool/hot tub chlorine, and flush your hot water heater twice a year.

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