Health officials in New York City have issued a warning against the increasing Legionnaires' disease cases in Manhattan's Upper East Side neighborhood. As the number of confirmed cases rose to 14, it was announced that the patients are linked to the zip codes 10028, 10128, and 10075.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin stated that epidemiologists and other staff are working in the area, and said: "I thank our epidemiologists, water ecologists, community health workers, and many more staff who have been working for the last few days to inform and keep New Yorkers safe in the Upper East Side."
Officials urged anyone who spent time on the east side of Central Park, between 76th and 97th Streets, to be alert for flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, chills, and muscle aches. Legionnaires' disease is known as a serious type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria and is transmitted by inhaling contaminated water droplets.
The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified. Cooling towers in the area are being tested as a possible source, but so far no specific source has been found. Initially announced on Thursday with only two cases, the outbreak has expanded as new cases were reported. Martin said: "We detected the cluster early when there were only two confirmed cases and acted quickly and decisively."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the outbreak is not linked to building plumbing or indoor air conditioning, and that residents can safely drink tap water, bathe, cook, and use their air conditioners.
Mamdani, in a social media post, urged: "If you have lived, worked, or spent time in the area since late June and are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, or shortness of breath, please seek medical attention immediately."
Last summer, a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Central Harlem saw more than 100 cases.
