Overview

• City officials confirmed a fifth death tied to the cluster after determining an earlier fatality was caused by Legionnaires’ disease.
• Fourteen people remain hospitalized, and health authorities say the pace of new infections has slowed in recent days.
• Twelve cooling towers across about 10 properties—including Harlem Hospital and CUNY’s City College Marshak Science Building—tested positive and were fully drained, cleaned, and disinfected by Friday.
• Investigators are still working to pinpoint which tower or towers directly drove infections, and the Health Department says the outbreak is unrelated to building plumbing, so tap water and air conditioning are safe to use.
• City leaders have proposed tougher cooling‑tower testing and reporting rules with stronger penalties, while community advocates and attorneys call for accountability from building owners.