Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
5 dead, 82 sick in Upper East Side Legionnaires’ disease outbreak
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 21, 2026
Modified Jul 21, 2026
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 .
Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Jul 21, 2026
Modified Jul 21, 2026
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
A fifth person has died in connection with an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on the Upper East Side.
The death is among 82 confirmed cases associated with the outbreak, the city Health Department said on Tuesday.
The numbers continued to rise just one day after the city confirmed a fourth death from the disease, a type of pneumonia contracted by inhaling water vapor containing Legionella bacteria. Confirmatory testing has found live bacteria in 34 cooling towers at 33 buildings on the Upper East Side, officials said.
All 34 cooling towers have been cleaned and disinfected, as have other cooling towers that previously tested positive, the city said. Officials said the city was awaiting results for 140 remaining cooling tower systems tested for the bacteria.
The city also said it took swift action after learning of the cluster, which helped “save lives,” according to city Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin.
“We believe that through our aggressive strategy of testing and remediation we have eliminated the source of exposure. We will learn more as our investigation unfolds and look forward to updating our existing policies and procedures to [prevent] future clusters,” Martin said. “Right now, we are focused on identifying the source of exposure through laboratory analyses and holding accountable anyone found out of compliance with local laws.”
The city said 56 people who contracted the disease have been discharged from the hospital, while eight remain hospitalized. No new cases have been diagnosed in six days, and no one has reported new symptoms in more than 10 days, according to the Health Department.
The outbreak has affected three Upper East Side ZIP codes: 10028, 10075 and 10128.
Tracking the towers
The city said cooling towers at the following addresses had tested culture positive:
- 100 East End Ave.
- 180 East End Ave.
- 1381 Lexington Ave.
- 1486 Lexington Ave. *
- 1020 Park Ave.
- 1249 Park Ave.
- 1750 York Ave.
- 1660 Second Ave.
- 1438 Third Ave.
- 1551 Third Ave.
- 1001 Fifth Ave.
- 1080 Fifth Ave.
- 1045 Fifth Ave. *
- 1071 Fifth Ave.
- 135 E 79th St.
- 155 E 79th St.
- 300 E 79th St.
- 301 E 80th St. *
- 511 E 80th St.
- 238 E 81st St.
- 240 E 82nd St.
- 8 E 83rd St.
- 13 E 84th St.
- 145 E 84th St.
- 7 E 86th St.
- 120 E 87th St.
- 125 E 87th St.
- 501 E 87th St.
- 168 E 88th St.
- 410 E 92nd St.
- 200 E 95th St.
- 235 E 95th St.
- 115 E 97th St. *
** Tested PCR negative and culture positive. All have been remediated.*
Tagged
Health and Science
new york city
public safety
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
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 .