Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Tests confirmed live Legionella at 7 South Bronx sites amid Legionnaires' outbreak

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Sep 24, 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 .

Legionella bacteria

 

wildpixel / Getty Images

By

Giulia Heyward

Published Sep 24, 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

Seven cooling towers in the South Bronx have tested positive for live Legionella bacteria, city officials said Wednesday as they continue to investigate a Legionnaires' disease cluster that has killed two people.

The seven are among 10 sites where previous PCR tests indicated the presence of Legionella — but the earlier tests can’t distinguish between live and dead bacteria. Only live bacteria can cause the disease.

Culture tests for live bacteria at the remaining three towers, including at Yankee stadium, are still pending, health officials said.

At least 23 people have tested positive amid the South Bronx outbreak, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said as of Wednesday. Three people remained hospitalized.

The South Bronx cases follow another outbreak that hit Manhattan’s Upper East Side earlier in the summer. The UES outbreak sickened 94 people and killed 11, making it the deadliest outbreak since 2015.

All 10 of the South Bronx towers where PCR tests indicated Legionella had been cleaned and disinfected as of last week as part of what city officials called an “aggressive response” to the latest outbreak.

“Our community health workers have been on the ground since we launched this investigation, speaking with more than 3,200 people, distributing more than 8,800 informational flyers, and reaching out to more than 280 organizations and businesses in the area,” health department Commissioner Alister Martin said in a statement. “We will continue to move with urgency and keep New Yorkers informed as this investigation unfolds.”

The city health department said culture tests confirmed live bacteria at the following locations:

Culture tests were still pending at:

Health officials advise anyone who lives or has recently visited ZIP codes 10451, 10455, 10456 or 10459 and has developed flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.

Tagged

Health and Science

bronx

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

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

Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET

New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.

By

Arya Sundaram

News

New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.

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

NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding

By

Ramsey Khalifeh

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 .