Three dead as Legionnaires’ disease cluster in New York reaches 74 cases

Three people have died in New York City in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on the Upper East Side, the city’s Health Department said.

As of July 19, authorities had recorded 74 cases in the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighbourhoods. Eight people remain hospitalised, while 51 have been discharged and 12 were not hospitalised.

The first case in the current outbreak was identified in late June. Health officials and experts believe the disease may have spread through cooling systems in the Manhattan area. Buildings in the affected area, including the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, have been disinfected.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria. It can cause high fever and systemic symptoms, as well as damage to the lungs and other organs. The disease is generally not spread from person to person and is commonly contracted by inhaling contaminated water droplets or mist from systems such as air-conditioning and water supplies.

The disease was first identified after an outbreak among attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976.

By Sabina Mammadli