New cases of Legionnaires’ disease have slowed to a trickle as the deadly Harlem outbreak appears to wane.
The case count ticked up to 113 on Monday, with just one new diagnosis added over the weekend, according to city data. No new deaths were added to the count. Six people have died in the outbreak so far — the deadliest cluster of Legionnaires’ in New York City since a Bronx outbreak killed 16 in 2015. Seven people remain hospitalized with the disease.
As case counts slow, legal actions related to the outbreak are starting to mount.
Two Long Island construction workers who say they contracted Legionnaires’ disease while working at or near Harlem Hospital filed lawsuits last week against contractors they said negligently failed to protect them from being exposed to Legionella bacteria on the premises.
Harlem Hospital’s building at 506 Lenox Ave. is one of 10 buildings — including several owned by the city — with water-cooling towers that have tested positive for Legionella bacteria in the Central Harlem area affected by the outbreak. Legionella can grow in cooling towers and get emitted into the air with water vapor, which can cause Legionnaires’ disease if it’s inhaled.
City officials say all of the cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella in Harlem have been remediated. But the city is still working to confirm which cooling towers are directly responsible for the outbreak. That confirmation could prompt additional lawsuits.
Under city law, building owners must regularly test and treat cooling towers to control the growth of Legionella. The city is also responsible for inspecting cooling towers and those inspections have fallen off in recent years. But city officials say more inspections wouldn’t have necessarily prevented the current outbreak, since Legionella can grow quickly.
City health officials have urged anyone in the affected area in Harlem — including ZIP codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039 — to remain vigilant and to seek medical help immediately if they develop any flu-like symptoms, including cough, shortness of breath or fever. Those over 50, smokers and people with chronic lung disease are at higher risk.
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