In Central Harlem, a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, first detected on July 25th, has rapidly escalated. As of August 6, the New York City Health Department reports 67 diagnosed cases and three confirmed deaths.
The cases are concentrated in five ZIP codes—10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039—and span adjacent communities. Initial investigation by city health officials linked the outbreak to eleven cooling towers in the area, where Legionella pneumophila was detected. These towers have since been disinfected and remediated.
In 2022, New York City experienced a similar Legionnaires’ outbreak in the Bronx, leading to two deaths.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhalation of aerosolized water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Symptoms usually appear 2–14 days after exposure and include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, and sometimes diarrhea or confusion. It does not spread person to person, and drinking or bathing in water remains safe.
Health officials emphasize that those at higher risk—people aged 50 or older, current or former smokers, and those with lung disease or weakened immune systems—should be especially vigilant and seek medical attention promptly if symptoms emerge. Prompt antibiotic treatment is key to reducing serious complications and improving outcomes.
In addition to system-level remediation, authorities urge preventive steps: building operators must maintain, register, and routinely clean cooling towers and other water systems. Individuals can reduce risks by cleaning showerheads and keeping home water heater temperatures at around 120 °F (49 °C).
This outbreak, still under active monitoring, appears geographically contained and not expected to spread beyond the identified buildings and neighborhood. Residents in other boroughs have been advised that routine water use is safe so long as they avoid the affected zones.
