Health officials in New York City have been fighting several Legionnaires' disease cases since late July.
The NYC Health Department has recorded more than 100 cases of Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem, a historically Black neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, since the outbreak started July 25. One patient linked with the Central Harlem cluster died earlier in August, city health authorities said.
Investigators suspect that cooling towers – which use water to cool enormous buildings and then release mist into the air – are the origin of the disease-causing bacteria, Legionella. People who breathe in the mist can become ill if the water within the towers gets too warm, stagnant or isn't adequately cleaned.
As of Aug. 19, NYC Health had confirmed 108 cases. Of those, 14 people had been hospitalized and five had died.
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