Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The New York City Health Department announced Friday that a deadly bout of Legionnaires' disease in Upper Manhattan has ended.
According to the agency, as of Thursday, a cluster of the illness in the Central Harlem community caused 114 cases of Legionnaires' disease. Of those who were infected, seven died and 90 were hospitalized.
Six of the victims remain hospitalized. The Health Department also noted that about 90% of those stricken "had a known risk factor for severe disease," which includes smoking, having a compromised immune system, chronic lung disease or other chronic conditions, or being age 50 and older.
An investigation into the source of the sickness that began in July had led the Health Department to the cooling towers at Harlem Hospital, and the facility has since had its towers disinfected. However, a culture test taken from a hospital tower did come back positive earlier this month, and the hospital then drained, disinfected, and refilled the cooling tower.
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