Cases of a life-threatening lung disease are rising as officials report many of the patients are now hospitalized, with some in critical condition.
New York City is experiencing an outbreak of legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia spread through contaminated water vapor that kills one in 10 patients.
Fourteen cases were reported over the weekend, which grew to 18 on Sunday and grew further to 23 cases as of July 6.
Health Commissioner Dr Alister Martin said ‘many of them are hospitalized at this moment,’ with some in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
The city’s health department reports 17 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported to date.
On Sunday, visitors to and residents of New York City‘s Central Park and several Upper East Side neighborhoods were told to watch for symptoms of legionnaires’ disease, which can include fever, chills, cough and body aches.
Officials said the zip codes affected by the outbreak were 10075 and 10028, which cover Yorkville, and 10128, which covers Carnegie Hill.
Almost all the patients live, work or recently visited the area.
Cooling towers and air conditioning units are seen in the Harlem neighborhood last year amid a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the neighborhood
City health officials are warning that anyone who recently visited the affected neighborhoods or was in Central Park between East 76th and East 97th streets could have been exposed.
They said that those who had been in the areas any time since late June and who are suffering from flu-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.
Martin posted on X: ‘We advise people to monitor for flu-like symptoms and to contact a healthcare provider immediately if symptoms occur.’
Common sources for the legionella bacteria, which cause legionnaires’ disease, include centralized air conditioning systems, hot tubs, water fountains and large building plumbing systems.
Investigations are ongoing in the current outbreak to uncover the source, but health officials have said that the outbreak is not linked to a building’s plumbing system or air conditioning unit.
They stress that residents in affected areas can continue to safely drink tap water, bathe, shower, cook or use their air conditioner at home.
The disease does not spread person-to-person.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted on X: ‘Our administration is investigating a community cluster of Legionnaires’ disease in several Upper East Side neighborhoods.
‘Our [Health Department] started their investigation earlier this weekend… and community outreach has been ongoing through the July 4 weekend.’
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by a bacteria that thrives in warm and damp locations. It can become airborne in water vapor and then be breathed in by people, potentially triggering an infection.
Infected patients initially suffer from a headache, muscle aches and fever, before the disease also triggers a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion or other symptoms.
In severe cases, patients can suffer from severe pneumonia and the potentially fatal complication sepsis, when the bacteria spreads to the blood.
Doctors can treat the disease using antibiotics, but say that these drugs are most effective during the early stages of the disease and before its spread in the body.
Those who are over 50 years old, smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system are at higher risk from the bacteria.
Martin added: ‘I want to acknowledge the NYC Health Department’s staff of epidemiologists, water ecologists, community health workers and many more who spent the last few days working to keep New Yorkers on the Upper East Side informed and safe.’
‘We identified the cluster early when there were just two confirmed cases, and we’ve acted swiftly and decisively, setting holiday plans aside to step up for our fellow New Yorkers.’
Nationwide, infections with Legionnaires’ disease have soared over the last two decades, rising from about 1,100 cases in 2000 to more than 8,000 today.
New York City records between 300 to 600 cases every year, according to data from the city’s health department.
In August last year, seven people died and 114 people were sickened by a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Harlem. Ninety people were hospitalized.
Health officials linked the outbreak to the bacteria in 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic.
About 90 percent of those infected had underlying risk factors including being over 50 years old, being a smoker or having a chronic lung disease.
