- HEALTH & FITNESS
What to know about NYC Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, symptoms and prevention
ByLAURA UNGAR
Friday, July 10, 2026 6:56PM
NEW YORK –New York City health officials are investigating a Legionnaires’ disease cluster in two Upper East Side neighborhoods
Although cases are rising each day, no deaths have been reported
Inspectors are narrowing the search for theooling tower atop a building in a single square mile area from East 74th Street to East 96th Street
The cooling towers are water systems usually found on the top of buildings that control the temperature of systems such as refrigeration. The city health department is testing all such towers in the area. The affected areas are Carnegie Hill and Yorkville – ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075
Because it’s not caused by an issue with any building’s plumbing system, officials said, residents can continue drinking tap water, bathing, showering, cooking and using air conditioners, which don’t use water to cool the air. People can’t get the bacteria from each other
Officials urged residents or recent visitors to the area with flu-like symptoms to contact a health care provider as soon as possible
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
It’s a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water and spread in building water systems. They can be found in places such as showerheads, hot tubs and cooling towers
People often get it by breathing in tiny droplets of contaminated water. Highly susceptible patients in hospitals can also get it through contaminated water or ice, and babies can be exposed during water births, health officials said
Symptoms usually develop two days to two weeks after exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
People are at an increased risk for Legionnaires’ disease if they are age 50 or older, smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or have a weakened immune system
The name comes from an outbreak that hit attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976
Is Legionnaires’ disease fatal?
It can be. The CDC says one in 10 people who get sick will die of complications from Legionnaires’ disease. Among those who develop Legionnaires’ disease at a healthcare facility, about one of every four people will die, the CDC says
That’s why it’s important to be diagnosed quickly and treated with the appropriate antibiotics, health officials said
If untreated, Legionnaires’ disease usually worsens during the first week, the World Health Organization said. Complications can include respiratory failure, shock and kidney or multiorgan failure
How can Legionnaires’ disease be prevented?
People responsible for the safety of buildings and water systems can reduce the threat by taking steps to minimize the growth of the bacteria, the WHO said. For example, they should regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers, maintain adequate chlorine levels in spa pools, and flush unused taps in buildings weekly
There are also steps people can take to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease at home. New York health officials suggest draining garden hoses; following manufacturers’ instructions for cleaning and replacing water filters; checking chlorine levels in pools and hot tubs regularly; and flushing hot water heaters twice a year
Legionnaires’ disease has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak in the U.S. of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases declined during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021
Health Commissioner Dr. Allister Martin spoke with Liz Cho for this weekend’s edition of “Up Close.” Watch part of the interview above and catch the full episode Sunday at 11 a.m. on Channel 7 and wherever you stream ABC 7
(ABC News contributed to this report.)
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