A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has climbed to 14 confirmed cases, prompting New York City health officials to widen their warning to residents, workers and recent visitors near Central Park.
The cluster, first announced Thursday with just two confirmed cases, has now expanded across ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075. Those areas include parts of Yorkville, Carnegie Hill and nearby Upper East Side blocks. Officials said at least one patient lives, works or recently spent time in the 10075 area.
Central Park Visitors Told To Watch For Symptoms
Health officials are urging anyone who visited the east side of Central Park between East 76th Street and East 97th Street to monitor themselves for symptoms.
Those symptoms can feel like the flu at first, including fever, cough, chills and muscle aches. However, Legionnaires’ disease can become serious quickly, especially for older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems.
That is what makes this outbreak especially concerning. A summer walk near Central Park, a workday on the Upper East Side or a brief visit to the area could now come with a warning attached.
Health Officials Praise Rapid Response
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said city teams have been working through the holiday period to track the outbreak and alert the public.
“I want to acknowledge the NYC Health Department’s staff of epidemiologists, water ecologists, community health workers, and many more who spent the last few days working to keep New Yorkers on the Upper East Side informed and safe,” NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said in a statement.
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. People can become infected when they breathe in tiny contaminated water droplets. The disease does not spread from person to person in ordinary contact.
Still, without quick treatment, it can become dangerous and, in some cases, fatal.
Cooling Towers Under Investigation
The source of the outbreak has not yet been identified. However, officials are testing cooling towers in the affected area as a possible source.
Cooling towers are often located on rooftops and can release mist into the air. If Legionella bacteria grow inside the water system, that mist can carry the bacteria into surrounding areas.
The Health Department said all cooling towers in the affected zone are being tested. Meanwhile, the area of investigation has expanded as more cases have been confirmed.
“We identified the cluster early when there were just two confirmed cases, and we’ve acted swiftly and decisively, setting holiday plans aside to step up for our fellow New Yorkers. There is more work to do in the days ahead as we learn more about the source of exposure and confirmed cases,” Martin said.
Tap Water And Home AC Still Safe, Officials Say
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the outbreak is not linked to building plumbing or indoor air conditioning units.
That means residents in the area can continue drinking tap water, bathing, showering, cooking and using their home AC units, according to city officials.
However, the warning remains clear for anyone who has been in the affected area since late June.
“Please contact a health care provider immediately if you live, work or visited the area since late June and are experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever or difficulty breathing,” Mamdani wrote on X.
City Says Updates Will Continue
Officials said they will continue sharing updates as testing continues and investigators work to pinpoint the source.
The Upper East Side cluster comes after another major Legionnaires’ outbreak last summer in Central Harlem, where more than 100 illnesses were confirmed.
For now, health officials are asking New Yorkers not to panic, but to pay attention. Fever, cough or breathing trouble after time in the affected area should not be ignored.
