Health

At Least 23 Cases of Legionnaires' Disease in NYC's Upper East

Is the city doing all it can or are there questions to be asked about how it's enforcing new regulations?

Published JUL 7

At Least 23 Cases of Legionnaires' Disease in NYC's Upper East

Story

Above: A doorman hails a taxi outside a building in the Upper East Side neighborhood of New York on April 14. Image credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Facts

New York City health officials are investigating after at least 23 cases of Legionnaires' disease were reported in the city's Upper East Side through Monday.
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
NBC New York
ABC News
According to the latest update, there were no recorded deaths at this stage but 17 people were in the hospital receiving treatment. Officials said the outbreak was found in the neighborhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, namely in ZIP codes 10028, 10128, and 10075.
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
NBC New York
ABC News
"Any New Yorkers who currently live or work in this area or people who have visited the area since late June and are experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, or difficulty breathing should contact a health care provider immediately," an advisory read.
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by exposure to Legionella bacteria, with symptoms usually developing after two to 14 days. It is not transmitted from person to person and typically spreads from breathing in mist from a water source that's developed the bacteria.
CDC
Mayo Clinic
City health officials said they suspect that a cooling tower in the affected area is responsible and that all cooling towers in the affected area are being tested.
NYC
After seven deaths in connection with a Legionnaires' outbreak in Harlem last year, New York City enacted new regulations that required all cooling towers to be probed for the bacteria every 90 days. It went into force in May of this year.
NBC New York
New York Amsterdam News

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The likely cause of this outbreak is a cooling tower and the city is doing all it can to investigate the cooling towers in the affected area. This is not an issue with plumbing so it is safe for people to drink water, bathe, cook and use their air conditioners.

NYC

Establishment-critical narrative

While the city has passed a law to mandate regular testing of cooling towers, it must be asked what percentage have so far failed to comply and what the city is doing about it? The culprit is more than likely among those who have so far ignored the new regulations.