Overview
- City officials reported Monday that the cluster has grown to 59 confirmed cases with about 15 people hospitalized and no deaths linked to the outbreak.
- A rapid PCR screening identified 31 rooftop cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella DNA and building owners were ordered to drain, clean and disinfect those systems.
- Health officials cautioned that PCR detects bacterial genetic material only and cannot prove the bacteria are alive or tied to patients, so culture and whole‑genome sequencing are being run and may take days to weeks.
- The Health Department has released addresses of the PCR‑positive sites, tested more than 180 local cooling systems, and will hold a virtual town hall Monday at 6 p.m. to answer residents’ questions.
- Officials say the cluster is focused in Upper East Side ZIP codes 10028, 10128 and 10075, people do not spread the disease to each other, and older adults and those with lung disease or weakened immune systems should seek prompt care for flu‑like symptoms.