Two people have died and at least 58 others have been taken ill in an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Harlem area of New York City, health officials have confirmed. The outbreak has been traced to the central Harlem district and its bordering communities since 25 July.
Dr Michelle Morse, acting New York City health commissioner, advised residents experiencing flu-like symptoms in the affected area to seek medical attention promptly. “Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” she said, urging those at higher risk—such as adults aged 50 and over, smokers, and individuals with chronic lung conditions—to be especially vigilant.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacterium, which thrives in warm water environments. The New York City health department stated that plumbing systems, including cooling towers, whirlpool spas, hot tubs, humidifiers, hot water tanks, and large air-conditioning systems, can harbour the bacteria. The disease is not transmitted from person to person, but is contracted by inhaling water vapour containing the bacteria.
Officials have completed remediation on 11 cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella pneumophila, the bacterium responsible for the outbreak. Antibiotics are used to treat the infection. The first reports on 31 July indicated 22 cases and one death, but numbers rose sharply by the following Monday.
Legionnaires’ disease gained its name following a 1976 outbreak in Philadelphia, where 182 people attending an American Legion convention fell ill, and 29 died. In the United States, an estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalised with the disease each year, which carries a fatality rate of 10 per cent.
