New York City’s health department has reported a fourth death in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Multiple deaths have been reported in the past week as the city agency says they believe the source of the community cluster has been eliminated.
Fourth Person Dies From Legionnaires’ Disease Cluster
As of July 20, NYC’s Health Department reported 76 cases in total from the community outbreak. Out of those cases, seven people are still hospitalized, with 53 patients discharged so far. Four people have now died.
“A fourth person has sadly died from Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side,” Alister Martin, the city’s health commissioner wrote on X.
“We mourn their passing, and our thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”
The health department says that the source has seemingly been eradicated.
“We believe the source of exposure has likely been eliminated due to our aggressive remediation and enforcement efforts,” the agency wrote Sunday. “We will continue inspecting every cooling tower that tested positive and will hold accountable any owner who fails to comply with our public health laws.”
What Are the Affected ZIP Codes for Legionnaires’ Disease in NYC?
The affected ZIP codes of the cluster include 10028, 10128 and 10075, located in the neighborhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville.
What Are the Symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease?
Those who were in the area are encouraged to look out for flu-like symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires’ disease can present itself in the following ways:
- Headaches and muscle aches
- Fever
- Coughing and shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Confusion
