Second Fatality Reported in South Bronx Legionnaires’ Outbreak

On Thursday, NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin announced with a heavy heart that a second person had died in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease cluster spreading through the South Bronx. "We mourn the loss of each New Yorker," he said, "and our thoughts are with their families during this painful time."

So far, 13 Bronx residents have tested positive for the severe form of pneumonia. Two of those patients remain in the hospital, while nine have already been discharged after receiving treatment. The first fatality in the outbreak was reported on Sept. 10, also tied to the same cluster.

Investigators initially flagged the problem after PCR testing uncovered Legionella bacteria in ten cooling towers across the area – locations that include Yankee Stadium, Lincoln Hospital and Boricua College. By Thursday, officials said every tower that tested positive had been fully disinfected, and health‑department crews are now canvassing neighborhoods to hand out flyers and answer questions.

This Bronx flare‑up follows a much larger outbreak earlier this summer on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, which claimed 11 lives and sickened 94 people. A massive screening of 160 buildings there found Legionella in at least 77 cooling towers, from the Guggenheim Museum to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

It’s worth noting that most people who breathe in the water‑borne bacteria never get sick. Legionnaires’ disease isn’t spread person‑to‑person; you catch it by inhaling contaminated water vapor. Symptoms usually show up two to 14 days after exposure and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, shortness of breath and a persistent cough. The Department of Health reassures residents that it’s still safe to shower, drink tap water and run air conditioners in the affected zip codes.

The disease is serious – about 10 % of cases end in death – and it’s especially dangerous for those over 50, people with weakened immune systems, or anyone with chronic lung conditions. As the city works to finish cleaning up the remaining towers, officials urge anyone who thinks they might be showing symptoms to seek medical care right away.