NEW YORK - Ninety-nine people have been diagnosed with Legionnaire's disease since July 25 when the cluster of cases was first identified in Central Harlem, according to the latest numbers from the New York City Health Department.
Four people have died, and 17 others have been hospitalized.
What we know:
The five zip codes where the cluster of cases are located are 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037 and 10039.
Additionally, 12 cooling towers have tested positive for live bacteria in 10 buildings. Eleven of these towers have been sanitized and treated, and the last will be completed on Aug. 15.
The cooling towers are located at:
Health officials have confirmed that the outbreak was caused by these contaminated cooling towers. The disease reportedly spreads through water vapor or mist from cooling towers and does not affect normal water sources.
"The good news is that new cases have begun to decline, which indicates that the sources of the bacteria have been contained," Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a statement. "Our expert inspectors will continue to work with building owners to ensure full compliance. New Yorkers who live or work in the identified ZIP codes and have flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible for timely diagnosis and treatment for the best chance at a good outcome."
"Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this cluster of Legionnaires, in particular the friends and loved ones of the three New Yorkers we lost to this disease," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
What's next:
The department continues to work to identify the source responsible for Legionnaires' disease in Central Harlem.
New York State Sen. Cordell Cleare said she and others have created a new bill they want to pass with "five major reforms including requiring immediate remediation and mitigation, more frequent testing and inspections and fines if there are violations."