Overview

• The Central Harlem cluster has reached 90 confirmed cases and three deaths, with hospitalizations down to 17 from more than 20 last week, health department data show.
• City screening of cooling towers in the outbreak zone detected Legionella in 11 buildings, which have completed power-washing and chlorine-based disinfection under 24-hour remediation orders.
• State and city laboratory investigations are under way to confirm which of the remediated towers directly contributed to the illnesses.
• The Health Department’s fiscal year 2026 regulatory agenda calls for tougher penalties, stricter reporting standards and a new certification requirement for labs testing for Legionella, with rules slated to start next spring.
• Inspections of registered cooling towers have plummeted to record lows since 2017 because of staffing shortages, and the City Council will hold an oversight hearing on September 8 to probe enforcement shortfalls.