Twelve buildings in Central Harlem have cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella bacteria, leading to an ongoing outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. Of these, 11 towers have been remediated and cleared of bacteria, with the last one expected to be completed soon. The outbreak, detected on July 25, has resulted in three fatalities and over 92 reported illnesses in the area. City inspections for Legionella bacteria had decreased prior to the outbreak, which spreads through inhaling contaminated vapor but is not person-to-person transmissible.
Legionnaires' disease, caused by Legionella bacteria, thrives in warm water environments such as cooling towers, leading to outbreaks when not properly managed.
Since the outbreak began on July 25, three people have died and 92 have been infected across five ZIP codes in Central Harlem.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that 11 out of 12 contaminated cooling towers in Central Harlem have been remediated, with the final one expected to be cleared soon.
City inspections for Legionella bacteria in cooling towers decreased prior to the recent outbreak, contributing to the situation.
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