Dozens of buildings revealed as potential sources of deadly lung disease as deaths and cases rise

The number of cases and the death toll in New York City's legionnaires' outbreak has risen once again, as officials list nearly three dozen buildings that could be harboring dangerous bacteria. 

As of July 22 five people have died from and 82 have tested positive for Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia spread through contaminated water vapor that kills one in ten patients. This is up from four deaths and 76 cases the day prior. 

Hospitalizations also increased by one, with eight people currently in the hospital. A total of 56 people have been discharged, according to New York City Health.

No details have been released about any of the patients who have been infected, hospitalized or died in the outbreak.  

Also as of Wednesday, 183 cooling towers at 160 buildings have been tested for the Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaires' disease. Of these, 77 cooling towers at 75 buildings tested positive for the presence of the bacteria. 

Regardless of a positive test, however, only live Legionella bacteria can cause illness. Of the samples with a positive preliminary test, 34 cooling towers at 33 buildings tested positive for live bacteria.

All have now been cleaned and disinfected, the health department said. 

'We believe we have now eliminated the source of exposure. Regardless, we will continue to inspect cooling towers and aggressively enforce health laws,' Mayor Zohran Mamdani said this week. 

'I’m heartbroken by the loss of my fellow New Yorkers and send my deepest condolences to their loved ones.' 

The buildings with live bacteria are in the Upper East Side zip codes of 10075, 10028, 10128 and 10029, which are located in the Upper East Side, Yorkville and Carnegie Hill areas of Manhattan.

Officials originally identified 10075, 10028, and 10128 as potential hot spots, as almost all the patients live, work or had recently visited those areas.

Of note among the buildings with live bacteria is the Guggenheim Museum, a building with a Whole Foods Market at the street level, The Chapin School - a prestigious private school costing $70,000 a year - a Rockefeller University housing building and a residential building for Mount Sinai Hospital staff. 

The health department stated: 'A culture positive cooling tower may or may not be the source of Legionella bacteria exposure in the current cluster.'

The first known case in the area was reported on June 27 and an outbreak was suspected earlier this month as additional cases were reported. 

Legionnaires' disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria that thrives in warm and damp locations. It can become airborne in water vapor and then be breathed in by people, potentially triggering an infection. 

Common sources for the Legionella bacteria include centralized air conditioning systems, hot tubs, water fountains and large building plumbing systems. 

The disease does not spread from person to person. 

Infected patients initially suffer from a headache, muscle aches and fever, before the disease also triggers a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, confusion or other symptoms. 

In severe cases, patients can suffer from severe pneumonia and the potentially fatal complication sepsis, when the bacteria spreads to the blood. 

Doctors can treat the disease using antibiotics but note these drugs are most effective during the early stages of the disease and before its spread in the body.

Those who are over 50 years old, smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system are at higher risk from the bacteria.

Nationwide, infections with Legionnaires' disease have soared over the last two decades, rising from about 1,100 cases in 2000 to more than 8,000 today.

New York City records between 300 and 600 cases every year, according to data from the city's health department.

In August last year, seven people died and 114 people were sickened by a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Harlem. Ninety people were hospitalized.

Health officials linked that outbreak to the bacteria in 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings, including a city-run hospital and sexual health clinic.

About 90 percent of those infected had underlying risk factors, including being over 50 years old, being a smoker or having a chronic lung disease.