New York City has declared the deadly legionnaires’ disease outbreak in central Harlem over, nearly three weeks after it began. Health officials confirmed no new cases among residents or workers in the area since 9 August. The outbreak resulted in 114 cases, 90 hospitalisations, and seven deaths, with six patients still in hospital as of Friday.
Mayor Eric Adams stated: 'Today marks three weeks since someone with symptoms was identified, which means New Yorkers should be able to breathe a sigh of relief that residents and visitors to central Harlem are no longer at an increased risk of contracting legionnaires’ disease – but our job here is not done.' He emphasised the need to learn from the incident and improve detection and response to future clusters.
The disease, a serious form of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria, spreads through water systems such as cooling towers, showerheads, and hot tubs. An investigation traced the bacteria to cooling towers atop a city-run Harlem hospital and a nearby construction site. All facilities with positive test results have been cleaned and disinfected.
Acting Health Commissioner Michelle Morse expressed condolences and noted ongoing work with building owners to protect residents and prevent future clusters. The Adams administration has proposed new measures, including increased inspection capacity for cooling towers, mandatory legionella testing every 30 days during operating periods, and expanded proactive sampling.
