Legionnaires' Cluster Grows To 18 Cases On The UES, Officials Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — New York City's health inspectors are investigating a growing cluster of confirmed Legionnaires' disease cases in Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

As of Sunday night, 18 people are sickened by the disease, with more expected as testing increases, officials said.

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When the details of the cluster were first emerging, the community cluster was concentrated in ZIP codes 10028 and 10128, but this weekend, the health department added ZIP code 10075 to the investigation area.

Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, is caused by bacteria called Legionella that thrive in warm water environments, like cooling towers and plumbing systems.

This cluster follows an outbreak of Legionella bacteria in the plumbing system at The Cherokee, a Yorkville co-op building complex, in February.

This Upper East Side cluster also follows a deadly surge last summer, when Legionnaires' disease sickened more than 100 people in Harlem and killed seven people, after 12 buildings with cooling towers tested positive for Legionella bacteria.

"We advise people to monitor for flu-like symptoms and to contact a healthcare provider immediately if symptoms occur," New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said.

Martin also said that anyone who visited the east side of Central Park from East 76th to East 97th Street should also be monitoring their symptoms. No deaths are associated with this cluster.

Legionella can grow in cooling towers, which create cold air by cycling warm air through water, creating a warm, humid environment within the system.

The disease spreads by inhaling contaminated mist, but is not contagious from person-to-person, officials said. Drinking tap water, showering, and using the air conditioner are all safe, officials said.

All cooling towers in the three ZIP codes are being tested and sampled for the bacteria by the health department, officials said. Any cooling towers that test positive will be fully remediated, officials said.

The NYC Health Department has scheduled two public events to educate and address concerns about the outbreak.

On Monday at 6 p.m., the city will host a virtual townhall on Zoom here.

On Tuesday, the department will host an in-person town hall at 6 p.m. at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola — Wallace Hall located at 980 Park Ave.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.

Related content:

• 2 Sickened By Legionnaires' Disease On The UES, Officials Say
• ‘I Worry About My Neighbors’: Inside A Yorkville Co-Op’s Legionella Scare