Overview
- The Health Department reported on Sunday that the cluster first identified in early July has reached 74 confirmed cases and three deaths, with eight people currently hospitalized and 51 discharged.
- Investigators tested about 183 rooftop cooling towers across ZIP codes 10028, 10075 and 10128 and found initial PCR traces of Legionella at 76 buildings, all of which were ordered to be drained, cleaned and disinfected and have completed remediation.
- New diagnoses fell sharply after July 8 to an average of fewer than one new case per day between July 10 and July 17, and officials say they have not seen new symptom reports in more than a week, which suggests the exposure source has likely been eliminated.
- Live culture growth and whole-genome sequencing are still pending to confirm which towers, if any, contained live Legionella and to match environmental strains to patient samples, so the final source link remains unconfirmed.
- Health officials have changed protocol to require immediate disinfection after positive PCR screens, increased tower inspections and enforcement, and urged anyone who spent time in the affected neighborhoods with flu-like symptoms to seek prompt medical care because early antibiotics improve outcomes.