Overview

• New York City health officials on Monday updated the toll to 108 confirmed infections, five deaths, and 14 people hospitalized across Central Harlem.
• Investigators found live Legionella in 12 rooftop cooling towers across 10 buildings, including government-linked sites such as Harlem Hospital and a CUNY facility, and all identified towers were remediated by Aug. 15.
• The cluster spans five ZIP codes — 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039 — with officials noting cases began in late July and that recent new case reports are declining.
• Health authorities emphasize the outbreak is tied to cooling towers rather than tap water or building plumbing, and they urge residents with flu-like symptoms to seek prompt care.
• Calls for accountability intensified after initial non-disclosure of building addresses, with attorneys planning a lawsuit alleging negligence related to untreated stormwater and city leaders proposing tighter cooling-tower rules.