A third person has died in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, city health officials said Sunday.
The cluster has sickened 74 people, according to the city Health Department. Eight people remained hospitalized and 51 have been discharged from the hospital, officials said.
Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said officials have not identified anyone with new symptoms in more than a week and are not seeing concerning trends in emergency department data. The department, Martin said, believes the source of exposure has likely been eliminated after efforts to clean and disinfect cooling towers that tested positive.
“It is with great sadness that I report a third person has died in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease community cluster on the Upper East Side,” Martin said in a statement. “Our hearts are with their family and friends as they mourn their loss.”
The Health Department announced the first death in connection with the cluster on Friday and a second death on Saturday. Authorities have not released any additional information about the people who died.
Officials said the outbreak is affecting three ZIP codes — 10028, 10075 and 10128 — covering parts of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville. Authorities said people who have spent time in those areas should seek medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms, including cough, fever or difficulty breathing. Symptoms can appear up to 14 days after exposure.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by inhaling water vapor contaminated with Legionella bacteria. The disease is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics.
