Overview

• The New York City Health Department reports 101 confirmed Legionnaires’ cases in Central Harlem, including four deaths and about 15 current hospitalizations.
• Investigators identified Legionella bacteria in 12 rooftop cooling towers across five ZIP codes, with 11 towers already disinfected and the final unit slated for immediate treatment.
• New infections have begun to decline following emergency remediation orders, and health officials assure residents that municipal water and building plumbing remain safe for everyday use.
• City laboratory teams are conducting culture and genetic testing to link patient isolates to specific towers and confirm environmental sources of the outbreak.
• Lawmakers and regulators are moving to impose stricter inspection schedules, shorter remediation deadlines, and higher penalties on building owners to prevent similar future clusters.