New York Legionnaires’ outbreak sickens 28 on Upper East Side
6 reported1 unconfirmed
A Legionnaires' disease outbreak on Manhattan's Upper East Side has sickened at least 28 people, according to a report from The Guardian. The New York City health department has sampled water from nearly 160 building cooling towers to test for the bacteria. Health Commissioner Dr Alister Martin stated that climate change is worsening exposure and increasing the propensity for such clusters. Martin said he signed orders for at least 19 buildings to drain, clean and disinfect cooling towers, described as "buildings of interest." The outbreak is spread across three zip codes on the Upper East Side. The health department may take another month to issue findings, and in many smaller outbreaks, the CDC reports the source is never found.
What’s reported
At least 28 people have been sickened in the Upper East Side outbreak.
Health officials sampled water from nearly 160 building cooling towers.
Commissioner Dr Alister Martin signed orders for at least 19 buildings to drain, clean and disinfect cooling towers.
The outbreak is spread across three zip codes on the Upper East Side.
Multiple studies and past outbreaks in New York show the disease disproportionately affects people living in poverty and Black Americans.
It could take another month before the health department can issue findings.
Open questions
Which building may have been responsible for the outbreak remains unknown.
Key figures
Dr Alister Martin, commissioner of the New York City health department
George Yates, a 54-year-old Harlem resident diagnosed with legionnaires' in 2018
Dr Benjamin Wyler, emergency medicine physician for Mount Sinai Health System
Marquis Harrison, chair of a Manhattan community board in Harlem
Jory Lange, a Houston-based food safety attorney
Dr René Najera, director of public health at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Sources: The Guardian
