One dead, 20+ sick in Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem, officials say

One person has died and more than 20 others have gotten sick in an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Central Harlem, New York City health officials said.

The outbreak had grown to 22 confirmed cases by Thursday from a handful last Friday, according to the city health department. Five ZIP codes have been affected — 10027, 10030,10035, 10037 and 10039 — which generally stretch across Harlem from 116th to 155th streets.

City health officials declined to provide specific information on the person who died.

“Anyone with flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible,” Dr. Toni Eyssallenne, deputy chief medical officer at the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said in a statement.

“Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” she added. “But New Yorkers at higher risk, like adults aged 50 and older, those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”

Health officials said cooling towers on buildings in the outbreak area had been tested for legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease, which can lead to severe pneumonia. The bacteria grows in warm water and can sicken people who inhale infected water vapor.

The health department said it ordered building owners with affected cooling towers to remediate them within 24 hours and report back to the agency. Legionnaires’ disease can be treated with antibiotics, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms usually show up within two to 14 days of exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches, shortness of breath, diarrhea, confusion and nausea. Most healthy people exposed to legionella do not become ill.

The city usually records between 200 and 700 cases of Legionnaires’ disease annually, according to the health department. CDC data shows the number of cases nationwide has increased steadily over the past two decades, peaking in 2018. New York City had a major outbreak of the disease in 2015, when at least a dozen people died and more than 100 fell ill.

“When the weather conditions are very hot and humid, that can help the bacteria to grow really rapidly,” Dr. Celia Quinn, deputy commissioner at the health department, told Gothamist last week.