Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak in Central Harlem Updates
A fourth person has died due to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem, and the number of reported illnesses has risen to 99 from 90 earlier this week, according to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
These new figures came shortly after city officials revealed that several buildings associated with government programs have tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria responsible for the disease, amid an ongoing investigation into the outbreak’s source.
Among the affected sites are the CUNY City College’s Marshak Science Building on Convent Avenue, the NYC Economic Development Corp., and the city health department’s Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic.
Out of the 10 buildings identified by the health department, nearly all had cooling towers that were either overdue for required Legionella testing or hadn’t been inspected in the past year, as revealed by a Gothamist analysis of city data.
Building owners are legally obligated to test for Legionella every three months. While the city does not have a mandate for regular cooling tower inspections, health department spokesperson Chantal Gomez mentioned that they aim to inspect each tower annually. However, staffing shortages have posed challenges, but recruitment efforts are ongoing.
Harlem Hospital, where many patients affected by this outbreak have been treated, also tested positive for the bacteria.
City officials are still in the process of determining which specific cooling tower triggered the outbreak. Legionella can proliferate in cooling towers and be released into the air through mist; inhaling this mist can lead to Legionnaires’ disease, a serious form of pneumonia.
Previously, the city had stated that 11 cooling towers in the area initially tested positive for Legionella but did not disclose their locations. Following more detailed testing, officials identified 12 cooling towers with positive results, and except for one, all have undergone remediation. The last one is scheduled for remediation soon.
Dr. Michelle Morse, acting city Health Commissioner, noted that the number of new cases is starting to decrease, which suggests that the source of the bacteria may have been contained. At a press conference at Harlem Hospital, she expressed reassurance about air safety.
“I understand that the Central Harlem community, along with many New Yorkers, is feeling anxious,” Mayor Eric Adams also addressed the public.
Recent advisories from the city have urged anyone living or working in the affected ZIP codes to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms like cough, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, or muscle aches. Health officials emphasize that Legionnaires’ can be effectively treated with antibiotics if caught early.
Dr. Morse highlighted the efforts of health workers in spreading awareness about Legionnaires’ to ensure community safety.
However, some residents from Harlem have expressed frustration over the city’s delay in disclosing the addresses of cooling towers that had initially tested positive.
In response, Morse defended the city’s approach, indicating that releasing the locations prematurely could create a false sense of security before the investigation was thoroughly completed.
She also mentioned that since Legionella can spread through the air, vigilance is important for all residents in the affected ZIP codes, regardless of proximity to the positive buildings.
State Senator Cordell Cleare, representing Harlem, plans to advocate for new state legislation aimed at improving cooling tower regulations, emphasizing that “three lives is too many.”
A Gothamist analysis indicated a significant drop in city inspections since they began in 2017. Nonetheless, the responsibility for maintaining clean cooling towers still rests largely with building owners. Approximately 75% of cooling towers in the affected ZIP codes had current Legionella testing reports by early August, compared to 73% citywide.
