A second person has died from Legionnaires’ disease in connection with an outbreak on New York City’s Upper East Side that has affected 72 people and prompted cleaning measures at the world-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum.
On Sunday, the deceased man’s attorney identified him as an 88-year-old retired businessman and Air Force veteran, who survived his widow.
The lawyer, Ronald Katter, added in a statement that the man was in “perfect health” before contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Katter explained that the victim was admitted to the hospital with a sudden high fever on July 2, and was then transferred to the intensive care unit before passing away on Friday.
The New York City Health Department reported Saturday that the suspected source of the outbreak — fog containing Legionella bacteria, expelled by building cooling towers — has likely been eliminated, amid a sharp decline in cases since July 8.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that another New Yorker has lost his life to Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side. Our deepest sympathies are with his loved ones in this time of grief,” Dr. Alister Martin, New York City’s health commissioner, added in a news release on Saturday.
“Although we regret this loss, the data is also encouraging,” he explained. “Our aggressive testing, enforcement and corrective action strategy appears to have stopped the source of exposure.”
About 10% of legionellosis cases are fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For comparison, an outbreak last summer in central Harlem left 114 cases, including seven deaths. The city traced those infections to the cooling towers of a municipal hospital and a nearby construction site.
The bacteria can thrive in water during the warm summer months, and inhaling it regularly or in large quantities can cause infection, although most people exposed do not become ill. The city has stated that it is safe to bathe, drink tap water and use air conditioners in the affected buildings.
The Upper East Side has a particularly high concentration of cooling towers, according to the health department. Since the outbreak was identified on July 2, the city has ordered 76 buildings whose cooling towers tested positive for Legionella — including the Met and the Guggenheim — to clean and disinfect their water systems.
All buildings had completed cleaning by Thursday, the health department said. He also indicated that he is performing culture tests to determine which of the positive results correspond to live bacteria, that is, the type capable of causing disease.
The Guggenheim stated earlier this month that it regularly tests and treats its cooling tower, and that there is no risk to people inside the building. In May, the city began requiring cooling tower operators to test for Legionella every 31 days while their systems were in operation — three times more often than previously required.
As of Saturday, nine people in New York City remained hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease and another 50 had been discharged. The health department indicated that the outbreak has averaged less than one new case per day between July 10 and 17, which represents a decrease from the approximately eight new cases per day recorded between July 2 and 8.
Martin, the health commissioner, added Friday night about the first death in a statement posted to X. The city has not provided demographic details.
Certain groups are more vulnerable to Legionnaires’ disease, including people age 50 or older and those with a history of smoking or e-cigarette use, a weakened immune system, diabetes, or chronic diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys, or liver. The disease is rare in children and babies.
Common symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, and difficulty breathing, which may appear up to two weeks after exposure. Although the health department does not believe people are still at risk, it recommends that anyone who develops flu-like symptoms after being on the Upper East Side seek medical attention. The disease can be treated with antibiotics, which are most effective if given soon after symptoms begin.
