Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
De Blasio Claims Legionnaires' Outbreak Is "Tapering Off"
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 9, 2015
Modified Aug 9, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Governor Cuomo's Office
View all 6
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 9, 2015
Modified Aug 9, 2015
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
One hundred fifty state employees were dispatched to help test for legionella in Bronx cooling towers as Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was "tapering off." However, a number of new buildings were found to have the bacteria, including city-owned buildings like Samuel Gompers High School and the Bronx Hall of Justice.
The outbreak has been centered in the South Bronx, with 108 reported cases of Legionnaires and 10 deaths (the city has emphasized that the deceased had preexisting medical condition that made them more vulnerable to the pneumonia-like disease). Five buildings were found to have legionella in their cooling towers—Lincoln Medical Center, Concourse Plaza, Opera House Hotel, a Verizon building and Streamline Plastic Co.—and were cleaned, but recently, five more buildings were found with the bacteria.
According to WABC 7, they are "1106 Hoe Ave. (Verizon commercial facility); 118 Grand Concourse (New York City housing court); 245 E. 161 St. (Bronx Hall of Justice); 554 Grand Concourse (Post office building about to be decommissioned turning into a commercial building this month ); 455 Southern Blvd.(Samuel Gompers High School)." All were disinfected.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that the CDC would be deployed to work on the outbreak; the city had not done so yet. Then Cuomo announced that 150 officials would be sent to help with testing. De Blasio, who has been battling criticism that the city didn't act quickly enough, said yesterday, "I can say something very simply. We took charge on day one, we took matters into our own hands, and that’s why the situation is changing... This is literally uncharted territory and it's important we recognize that we've never seen an outbreak of Legionnaires' like this in the history of New York City."
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who has been vocally critical of the fact that NYC hasn't had a cooling tower inspection process before this, called Cuomo to help with the outbreak. His spokesman told the Daily News, "The borough president sees it as an all-hands-on-deck situation. People in our borough are getting sick and dying. We need all the help we can get."
State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said, "New York City Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett has asked the state to assist in testing additional buildings for Legionella in the Bronx. At the Governor's direction, the state will extend our deployment effort and continue to test and provide remediation support as needed in order to meet that request. We continue to stand ready to help in any way possible to safeguard the public health."
De Blasio last week announced that NYC will start to inspect cooling towers. The News further reports, "The city has never inspected the cooling towers suspected of causing the deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, but inspectors did manage to go after a Staten Island pooch who hopped the fence and got caught without a tag. And inspectors made a point of slapping a Manhattan octogenerian with a $250 fine when she couldn’t prove her aging white-and-tan mutt, Sunshine, had her rabies shot. How the Health Department will handle adding cooling towers to its long to-do list remains to be seen."
Tagged
bronx
governor cuomo
legionella
legionnaires
Legionnaires disease
mayor de blasio
outbreak
South Bronx
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Police identify 2 men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD officer
D’Angelo Caraballo and Sneider Mejia are wanted on several charges, including attempted murder.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 11:05 a.m. ET
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
NYC’s autumn foliage will be a fall feast this year
A rainy fall will intensify autumn foliage colors, making them last longer, too.
By
Rosemary Misdary
NY officials worry migrants will skip healthcare amid fed policy change
By
Caroline Lewis
Early Addition: Spy magazine is doing a Substack pop-up
By
James Ramsay
Bronx woman found dead and infant in critical condition after balcony push, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .